CWR: Wind Power Systems Are Showing Measurable and Meaningful Fuel Savings for Ships

Trails on Bore's Estraden were conducted by NAPA and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

A wind powered marine propulsion technology from Finland-based Norsepower has shown "meaningful' and confirmed fuel savings of 2.6 percent, according to a joint statement by Norsepower, Bore, NAPA, and Carbon War Room (CWR).

Recent sea trials of its Rotor Rail Solution, verified by NAPA and supported by VTT Technical Research Centre, were achieved using a single Norsepower rotor on Bore's 9,700 DWT Ro-Ro carrier MS Estraden.

Fuel savings on 2.6 percent would result in a payback period of 4 years, the companies said.

Norsepower and Bore said that based on the trials, they believe that a full system on Estraden with two rotors has the potential to deliver 5 percent efficiency savings.

"The successful trials of our wind technology are a ground-breaking moment not only for Norsepower, and also the wider development of wind propulsion technology for shipping," said Tuomas Riski, CEO of Norsepower.

"The results suggest that when Norsepower's technology is implemented at scale, it can produce up to 20% net savings in fuel costs with a payback period of less than four years at current fuel prices, confirming that wind technologies are commercially-viable solutions that reduce fuel and carbon emissions in the industry."

Jörgen Mansnerus, Vice President of Bore, commented: "We are proud to be the first shipowner to install the Norsepower Rotor Sail, and demonstrate that wind propulsion technology has verifiable 5% fuel savings on a yearly basis, can be retrofitted without any off-hire costs, and is extremely easy to use in practice."

Measurable and Meaningful Savings

Norsepower is one of several technology companies participating in a joint program of Carbon War Room and UCL Energy Institute to fast-track adoption of emerging wind-propulsion technologies by the shipping industry.

"Modern wind systems are demonstrating measurable and meaningful fuel savings for ships," said Jose Maria Figueres, Chairman of CWR.

"As wind propulsion, air bubble systems and other ground-breaking technologies are increasingly adopted and become mainstream, the industry will reap the rewards of lower fuel costs - more sustainable than those from short-term price decreases, and be able to stay ahead of external pressures."

Last month, Japan-based Eco Marine Power (EMP) along with its strategic partner, Teramoto Iron Works Co. Ltd. (Teramoto Iron Works) announced that it had taken another step towards bringing the Aquarius MRE wind and solar marine propulsion technology to market.