Seatrade Maritime is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

MOL pens coal transport deal using wind-powered vessel

Photo: MOL MOL wind sail.jpg
Illustration of the Wind Challenger
Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) has signed a transportation deal with compatriot Tohoku Electric Power to use a coal carrier equipped with hard sail wind power propulsion system.

The 99,000-dwt vessel, to be built at Oshima Shipbuilding and scheduled to start operation in 2022, will be equipped with the propulsion system known as Wind Challenger.

The aim of using Wind Challenger is to reduce environmental impact and boost economic efficiency, according to MOL.

The use of Wind Challenger is expected to reduce emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by about 5% on the Japan-Australia route or about 8% on the Japan-North America West Coast route, in comparison with a conventional vessel of the same class.

MOL and Tohoku Electric Power will conduct more verification tests on the propulsion system’s GHG reduction effects towards 2022.

TAGS: Asia MOL coal