Chemical tanker takes to the wing

‘This is the fourth tanker to sail with VentoFoils,’ says Chiel de Leeuw, Chief Commercial Officer at Econowind, which has sold more than 130 VentoFoil units.

The system is currently undergoing classification with Bureau Veritas and is expected to deliver a 10% improvement in the Energy Efficiency eXisting ship Index (EEXI), a new energy efficiency measure that must be calculated for ships of 400 gross tonnes and above.

The sails are also expected to provide a 3% contribution towards compliance with FuelEU Maritime rules in the European Union.

VentoFoils are automated suction wings that use wind to increase propulsion power. Built-in ventilators create a vacuum behind the wing, which multiplies its force. The system constantly measures windspeed and direction, and adjusts to create maximum force. Also, the wings can be tilted down during cargo operations.

The Jutlandia Swan tanker measures 124 x 20 metres. The foundation works were carried out during a scheduled drydock in Turkey. Once the vessel arrived in Rotterdam, the commissioning process took four days at Rotterdam Offshore Group (ROG).

‘Wind-assisted ship propulsion has clear potential – but its real value depends on how well it integrates into daily operations. Now we’ll be able to test how these sails behave at sea, what they mean for fuel efficiency, and how the crew can work with them in practice,’ says Kristian Larsen, Technical Director at Uni-Tankers.