BMT Report Suggests Oceanfoil Wingsail Tech Could Offer 14% Bunker-Savings

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Wednesday December 6, 2017

Oceanfoil Limited (Oceanfoil) says a new report from BMT suggests that the Oceanfoil's wingsail technology could offer an average fuel consumption and emissions savings of 14 percent on a mid-sized tanker vessel, and as much as 20 percent in certain wind and sea conditions.

"As an independent provider of complex engineering and design capabilities, working with Oceanfoil's technology reflects our focus on providing collaborative design and analysis to meet the wide range of challenges the introduction of energy savings technologies for ships brings," said Ian Jackson, Principal Naval Engineer at BMT Defence Services.

"These results reveal a considerable potential for wingsails, and represent an important step in the process towards wingsail technology improving energy consumption for several vessel types over the coming years. We look forward to continuing to accompany Oceanfoil on its journey."

BMT's study assessed a system of four Oceanfoil wingsails over the course of a year on a 50,000 DWT Panamax vessel.

Based on data taken when operating the vessel at or near its Continuous Service Rating (CSR), the study suggested an estimated savings of 13 percent for worldwide operations, factoring in marginally calmer sea states.

"Oceanfoil's 'wingsail', is a propulsion assist technology that is well suited for tankers and bulk carriers, which provide good opportunity for the wingsails to use the wind to create forward thrust – thus reducing reliance upon the vessel's main engines. For a mid-sized tanker like the one used for the BMT report, this would lead to savings of up to at least $500,000 per year – a huge reduction in operating expenses," said Charles Moray, Managing Director of Oceanfoil.

"In an industry where bunker fuel costs can account for as much as 80 percent of vessels' expenditure and with charterers under such strain, added to the need to future proof vessels against pending carbon regulations, the wingsail has an important role to play."