Sponsored By

Berge Rederi general cargo ship pair to get Norsepower Rotor SailsBerge Rederi general cargo ship pair to get Norsepower Rotor Sails

Norwegian owner to deploy one wind-powered transporting marble on North Sea routes along Norway’s coast.

Gary Howard, Middle East correspondent

January 15, 2025

1 Min Read
Image: Norsepower

Norwegian shipowner Berge Rederi will equip two general cargo vessels under construction in China with Norsepower Rotor Sails under a new agreement.

The ships are being built at Jiangsu SOHO Marine Heavy Industry Co., Ltd., with the first due to be delivered this year with the rotor sails installed. As well as the wind propulsion system, the ships will have battery packs and shaft generators to enable hybrid electric propulsion over short distances.

MDC designed the 130-metre ships, in close collaboration with Norsepower, to meet the brief for an efficient design with minimal environmental impact suitable for the harsh weather in the North Sea.

Each ship will have a pair of 24 m x 3 m sails to harness ideal wind conditions in the North Sea and deliver fuel savings along with emissions reductions.

“This project was designed for the extreme conditions of the Northern Sea, and we are proud that Berge Rederi chose Norsepower as their partner,” said Marcus Sannholm, Head of Sales at Norsepower. “Our product has been in use at tough sea conditions for more than a decade now, which enables us to create these kinds of partnerships with innovative, market leading companies. By working with Berge Rederi and MDC from the design phase, we’ve ensured that these vessels will set a new benchmark for sustainability and efficiency in their class.”

Magne Berge, owner of Berge Rederi, said: “We’re excited to partner with Norsepower and MDC on this transformative project. The combination of hybrid propulsion and Norsepower Rotor Sails aligns perfectly with our mission to minimise our environmental footprint while maintaining the highest standards of operational efficiency.”

Berge Rederi has a fleet of nine self-discharging bulk cargo vessels ranging from 3,700 to 13,000 dwt.

Read more about:

Norway

About the Author

Gary Howard

Middle East correspondent

Gary Howard is the Middle East Correspondent for Seatrade Maritime News and has written for Seatrade Cruise, Seatrade Maritime Review and was News Editor at Lloyd’s List. Gary’s maritime career started after catching the shipping bug during a research assignment for the offshore industry. Working out of Seatrade's head office in the UK, he also produces and contributes to conference programmes for Seatrade events including CMA Shipping, Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East and Marintec. 

Gary’s favourite topics within the maritime industry are decarbonisation and wind-assisted propulsion; he particularly enjoys reporting from industry events.

Conferences & Webinars

Gary Howard regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars.

Get the latest maritime news, analysis and more delivered to your inbox
Join 12,000+ members of the maritime community

You May Also Like