Marflet Marine to Install Suction Sails on Oil and Chemical Tanker

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Tuesday May 28, 2024

Marflet Marine today announced it was adding to the growing number of companies opting to install wind propulsion systems to its ships.

The Spanish player has signed a contract with Bound4blue that will see four of its 'eSail' suction sails installed on oil and chemical tanker Santiago I.

The installation will take place in mid-2025.

Unlike other forms of wind propulsion system such as rotor sails, suction sails work by dragging air across an aerodynamic surface to generate propulsion.

Bound4blue claims fuel savings of 40% are possible while the system is in use. Operational modelling for Santiago indicates this should save around 10 and 15% of the ship's annual energy consumption with the reduced main engine loads. 

The order comes at a time of growing interest not only for wind propulsion systems as a whole, but in Bound4blue's suction sail technology in particular.

Earlier this year Singapore-based shipping company Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) and Louis Dreyfus both said they were installing the Bound4blue sails on its ships.

Ship & Bunker News Team
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