Chemical tanker operator Chemship has announced that it has has commissioned the installation of four wind-assisted propulsion on one of its vessels, marking the first such installation on a chemical tanker.
The 134m Chemical Challenger features four 16-metre-high aluminium wind sails supplied by Netherlands-based cleantech supplier eConowind.
The VentoFoils from Econowind create a direct wind surface of 180 m2. Smart vacuum technology quintuples the force of the wind, creating a gross wind surface of 900 m2. This is equivalent to an imaginary sail of 30 by 30 metres.
Chemship expects to achieve an average CO2 reduction of 10% with these turbo sails, which will serve on the trans-Atlantic route between the Eastern Mediterranean and the East Coast of the United States.
Chemship CEO Niels Grotz anticipates signficant fuel saving as well as improved sustainability: “With the VentoFoils, we will use less fuel and thus reduce CO2 emissions. For this vessel, we anticipate an annual CO2 reduction of 850 tonnes.”
The emergence of wind-assisted sailing coincides exactly with the introduction of the European Emissions Trading System for the shipping industry. Since 1 January, shipowners have been paying for the emissions associated with transporting goods by sea to and from European ports. Niels explains: “Our customers increasingly demand CO2 reports. The better our ships perform, the higher the rating from our customers. Fewer emissions are not only beneficial for the environment, you will also notice it directly in your wallet.”
