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Louis Dreyfus to install bound4blue sails aboard fruit juice tanker

Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) has chosen suction sails developed by Barcelona-based bound4blue for installation on board the 34,584 dwt fruit juice tanker Atlantic Orchard.

Paul Bartlett, Correspondent

December 19, 2023

1 Min Read
LDC juice carrier
Photo: bound4blue

The 2014-built tanker is on charter from Sweden’s Wisby Tankers AB. Four 26m-high bound4blue eSAILs will be constructed and retrofitted on board the tanker in 2024, resulting in likely fuel savings and emission reductions of at least 10%. The sails will be the largest so far installed by the Spanish company.

The eSAIL system leverages a thick aerodynamic profile and a suction mechanism to improve propulsive efficiency, yielding seven times more lift than an aeroplane wing, the company said. The decision to adopt the bound4blue technology was based on a third-party assessment carried out by Lloyd’s Register. The classification society evaluated a series of options and identified the Spanish company’s suction sails as the most promising.

LDC’s Global Head of Freight, Sébastian Landerretche, commented: “Reflecting LDC’s commitment to help shape a low-carbon economy, we are actively contributing to the global shipping industry energy transition journey in line with the IMO’s target to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the sector by 2050. We are therefore very pleased to partner with two key maritime industry players, bound4blue and Wisby Tankers, to install this advanced sail technology aboard our chartered juice carrier.”

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Related:bound4blue suction sail for Odfjell chemical tanker

José Miguel Bermúdez, bound4blue CEO, said: “We’re pleased to announce our agreement with LDC to implement our eSAIL system, demonstrating bound4blue’s ability to serve unique vessel types and affirming the maturity of our technology as a proven solution for fuel and emission reduction. LDC is at the forefront of adopting proven clean technologies to reduce carbon emissions in its fleet, and we are delighted to support them in their endeavour.”

About the Author

Paul Bartlett

Correspondent

UK-based Paul Bartlett is a maritime journalist and consultant with over four decades of experience in international shipping, including ship leasing, project finance and financial due diligence procedures.

Paul is a former Editor of Seatrade magazine, which later became Seatrade Maritime Review, and has contributed to a range of Seatrade publications over the years including Seatrade’s Green Guide, a publication investigating early developments in maritime sustainability initiatives, and Middle East Workboats and Offshore Marine, focusing on the vibrant market for such vessels across that region.

In 2002, Paul set up PB Marine Consulting Ltd and has worked on a variety of consultancy projects during the last two decades. He has also contributed regular articles on the maritime sector for a range of shipping publications and online services in Europe, Asia, and the US.

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