NYK subsidiary installs two wind-assisted propulsion systems on a bulk carrier

Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha's (NYK) subsidiary, NYK Bulkship, has installed two wind-assisted ship-propulsion units on its bulk carrier, NBA Magritte.

PHOTO: NBA Magritte installed with two suction sails. NYK

Each unit consists of a 16-meter-high suction sail that generates lift by catching the wind by using an air intake system.

This installation was done at the port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It was the first time that such a unit was fitted on an NYK vessel, the company said. The NBA Magritte is on a long-term charter with US-based commodity trading firm Cargill.

NYK Bulkship will gather data on the propulsion generated by the sails, along with meteorological and ocean conditions during navigation, to measure the unit’s effectiveness in collaboration with Cargill and NYK R&D subsidiary MTI.

Wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) have been gaining popularity among shipowners as they look for technologies that can boost vessel performance, reduce fuel use, and enhance sustainability.

This month, Japanese shipping firm Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) took delivery of the Green Winds, a bulk carrier equipped with a wind-assisted propulsion system. Also this month, Singapore-based maritime firm Berge Bulk installed four rotor sails on a 388,000-dwt bulk carrier.

By Tuhin Roy

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