Bound4blue and Amasus Shipping have installed of a 22-metre eSAIL on the general cargo vessel Fluvius Tavy at Astander Shipyard in Santander, Spain. The project marks the companies’ second installation.
The project reinforces both the scalability of suction sail technology and the growing confidence of shipowners in wind propulsion as a mainstream decarbonisation solution.
The latest adoption of Bound4blue’s autonomous suction sails follows a previous installation on board Amasus’ Eems Traveller, where two 17-metre eSAILs became the first of their kind to be fitted on a general cargo vessel. Since then, the DNV type approved technology has also been retrofitted to vessels operated by other owners such as Odfjell, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs and Eastern Pacific Shipping, with fuel and emissions savings already proven and independently validated in operation.
Also read: Amasus orders largest suction sail for general cargo vessel
Largest suction sail ever fitted to a general cargo vessel
‘Our collaboration with Amasus continues to demonstrate that wind propulsion is gaining broader acceptance as a practical, profitable, and, crucially, a proven solution for an industry in transition,’ comments José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO and Co-founder of Bound4blue. ‘This installation is particularly noteworthy as it is the largest suction sail ever fitted to a general cargo vessel.’
Bermúdez adds that the new project is forecasted to ‘deliver significant double-digit reductions in vessel fuel consumption and CO2 emissions’.
Also read: Bound4blue installs largest eSAILs to date on juice carrier
Pre-commissioned unit
The retrofit was completed in a single visit to Astander, with all preparatory and installation work carried out within the vessel’s scheduled maintenance period. Structural and electrical adaptations were made to the deck to accommodate the sail’s foundations, after which the fully pre-commissioned unit, manufactured in Spain by Haizea-Tecnoaranda, was lifted into place in a streamlined, plug-and-play process.
Amasus says of the project: ‘The decision to install a second eSAIL reflects how satisfied we are with the performance and how smoothly it has integrated into our day-to-day operations. Our experience with Bound4blue’s suction sails highlights their suitability for short-sea general cargo vessels like ours. We’re now looking forward to seeing the fuel and emissions savings this new installation will deliver.’
Also read: VIDEO: Odfjell retrofits tanker with Bound4blue eSAILs
Autonomous eSAILs
Bound4blue’s autonomous eSAILs work by drawing air across an aerodynamically optimised surface to generate lift up to seven times greater than conventional rigid sails of a comparable size. The fully autonomous technology can be easily tailored for individual vessel configurations and a broad range of segments, including tankers, bulk carriers, RoRos, cruise vessels, ferries, and gas carriers, amongst others.
Picture: 22-metre eSAIL installed on Fluvius Tavy (photo by Bound4blue).
