Shipping is adopting wind-assisted propulsion systems rapidly - LR
With increasing familiarity among shipyards and operators, the application of wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) across various vessel types is approaching a “tipping point,” a report from Lloyd's Register (LR) found.
PHOTO: Illustration of Vale’s vessel with rotor sails installed. Vale
The maritime industry is on the verge of reaching 100 installations. The orderbook highlights the variety of vessel types utilizing WAPS and the growing scale of deployments as wind-assisted propulsion technologies advance beyond the prototype and pilot stages, LR claims.
Ship operators are increasingly adopting wind-assisted propulsion systems to cut fuel consumption. With 29 installations from 2018 to 2023 and 72 more on order, the latest research report shows growing confidence in the technology, LR’s ship performance manager Santiago Suarez de la Fuente says.
Current WAPS adoption trends
Shipowners are increasingly adopting wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) to improve vessel performance and reduce fuel consumption.
“New regulations, price challenges for existing and new fuels along with the growing pressure from cargo owners to reduce scope three emissions. These are driving the deployment of wind propulsion technologies, both as wind-assist and primary wind, retrofit and newbuild,” International Windship Association secretary Gavin Allwright says.
The most commonly deployed WAPS technologies are Flettner rotors, rigid sails, suction wings, and kites, with emerging technologies like soft sails and hybrid versions also gaining traction. Currently, Flettner rotors have the largest installed base among WAPS technologies. Bulk carriers are the leading segment using wind propulsion, with 10 vessels installed and 18 more on order, LR claims.
Last month, NYK Bulkship, a subsidiary of Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, installed two wind-assisted propulsion units on its bulk carrier, NBA Magritte. Also in the same month, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines took delivery of the Green Winds, a bulk carrier with a wind-assisted propulsion system, while Berge Bulk installed four rotor sails on a 388,000-dwt bulk carrier.
The orderbooks for tankers, passenger ships, and Ro-Ro vessels each include five, three, and five orders, respectively.
In June, Norsepower announced plans to equip four new chemical tankers for Union Maritime with rotor sails. In May, Marflet Marine contracted Bound4blue for sail installations, and in March, Union Maritime revealed plans to install rigid sails on two new LR2 tankers.
Orders for initial WAPS installations on gas carriers (LNG and LPG), container ships, and car carriers highlight the expanding adoption of wind power. In May, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Electric Power Development (J-Power) agreed to retrofit a coal carrier with a hard sail propulsion system.
So far, 83% of WAPS installations have been retrofitted onto existing vessels, with only five newbuilds incorporating wind propulsion from the design stage. However, as the technology gains acceptance, more wind systems are being integrated into new vessels, with 72% of planned installations expected to occur at shipyards rather than conversion yards.
Challenges to WAPS adoption
Although the use of WAPS is expanding quickly, some operators are still hesitant to adopt this technology because there is no established method for confirming fuel savings.
Scaling up the supply chain to meet anticipated demand is also a challenge, with only about 16 shipyards currently able to perform WAPS retrofits.
The report highlights the need for more shipyards with installation capabilities and the importance of coordinating installations with scheduled maintenance, component lead times, and compliance to minimize carbon costs.
The WAPS technologies “need to be robust, safe and validated in order to build trust in the market and lay the foundation for scaling these across the fleet,” Allwright concludes.
By Tuhin Roy
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