Tailwinds for tankers et al
Wind power ahoy! Bound4Blue has installed one of its e-sails on a tanker from Eastern Pacific Shipping for the first time. According to the manufacturer “the simplicity of the e-sail” represents an advantage for the specific challenges faced by this type of vessel.
Bound4Blue reports that the company has completed the first installation of its e-sails on a tanker. In less than a day per sail the firm installed three 22 m sails on a tanker operated by Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS).
The installation was carried out by Bound4Blue at the Besiktas Shipyard in Turkey. According to the company the process was specifically designed for Eastern Pacific Shipping so that it could be executed during a scheduled stay in the dry dock for the ship, thus minimising the vessel’s downtime.
“A milestone in many ways”
The firm describes the installation as “a milestone in many ways.” On the one hand the move marks EPS’s first step towards wind-assisted propulsion, and on the other it also represents the first use of the sails on a tanker.
According to Bound4Blue, the autonomous wind-assisted propulsion system (waps) will reduce the tanker’s energy consumption by approximately 10%, depending on the route it’s on. This, in turn, will contribute to reducing its emissions and operating costs.
David Ferrer, a co-founder of Bound4Blue, states that his company is committed to helping shipping lines “to use clean and proven wind energy in the simplest, most cost-efficient and effective way.” Through its collaboration with various maritime stakeholders, the company has also achieved “a fast, robust as well as a high-quality deployment process,” as Ferrer elaborated.
Challenges for tankers
Since EPS’s vessel was an MR tanker, additional challenges arose for the company, as Ferrer said. These included the atex zones, which are defined areas that assess and mitigate explosion risks based on the presence of an explosive atmosphere.
Air draught restrictions represented another challenge, according to Ferrer. “The simplicity of our e-sail nevertheless made it an ideal solution in this instance too,” he added.
The sails operate by “drawing air over an aerodynamic surface, to generate exceptional propulsion efficiency,” according to the firm.
Potential for many types of ships
The sails are suitable for newbuildings and can be retrofitted on tankers, bulkers, ro-ro units, cruise ships, ferries, gas carriers and general cargo vessels, amongst many other types of ships. According to Bound4Blue, the amortisation period comes to five years.