ETI Eyes 10% Real World Bunker Savings with New Flettner Rotor Sail Project

ETI is currently looking for expressions of interest to design, supply, fit and demonstrate flettner rotor sail technology on a large OGV, sourced by ETI.

The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) says it is seeking partners for a new project, known as the "Flettner Rotor Supply, Install and Commission Project," aimed at delivering bunker savings of at least 10 percent for large shipping vessels.

ETI says that the project is intended to deliver a full scale demonstrator of the flettner rotor sail technology on a large ocean going vessel (OGV), which ETI intends to source for the demonstration phase.

"Flettner rotors use a spinning cylinder to convert the force of the wind into thrust that helps propel the ship," explained ETI, noting that the technology has been trailed by at least two vessels over recent years.

"The ETI project will be the first demonstration on such a large vessel and will provide valuable insights into real world fuel savings and ease of operation."

The project is intended to identify organisations that can provide flettner rotor technology for a large internationally traded ship, after which point the company will use the submissions to choose a preferred technology provider that is able to shape the full scale demonstration project.

Respondents will be required to detail how their technology can deliver the 10 percent fuel savings and how their solution will be realised.

Sea-trials are expected to last a year after installation.

Andrew Scott, manager of the ETI project said that while Studies have shown flettner blades can delivery bunker savings of between 7 and 15 percent, so far there has not been a sufficient full scale demonstration on a "suitable marine vessel" in order to prove the benefits of the technology.

"Successfully demonstrating this would make the technology more attractive to shipping companies and investors,"  he said, adding that if proved successful, could also be retrofitted to existing shipping fleets.

The deadline for notification of intention to submit a proposal is March 31, 2016.

In February, Ship & Bunker reported that Finnish marine engineering company Norsepower Oy Ltd. (Norsepower) had announced that its Rotor Sail Solution, following a fuel efficiency verification by NAPA, has received a €3million ($3.25 million) investment and it has installed a second rotor sail on Bore Ltd's(Bore's) Ro-Ro vessel MS Estraden.