Cargill-chartered NYK bulker gets wind power upgrade

NBA Magritte had the pair of 16-metre tall wings installed at the port of Rotterdam and will operate the systems during its long-term charter to Cargill (USA). The companies said the ship will collect data on the propulsion provided by the wings along with weather and ocean conditions to establish the effectiveness of the technology.

VentoFoils are a suction sail type wind assisted propulsion system which can be folded down to improve access to hatches for cargo loading and unloading operations. Pressure differences between each side of the wing are used to provide propulsion power to the ship, amplified by ventilators which create a vacuum behind the wing.

Econowind says the system is automated and can be switching on and off through a touch panel in the bridge, minimising impact on crew workloads.

The installtions are the latest in a growing trend of wind power adoption within shipping as owners look to reduce fuel consumption and cut carbon emissions for regulatory compliance. NYK compatriate MOL set a target of 80 wind propulsion installations in its fleet by 2035.

NYK Line released videos showing the wings folding, and NBA Magritte leaving Rotterdam.