7 More MOL Ships to Get Wind Propulsion Systems, Aims for 80 by 2035

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Tuesday May 28, 2024

MOL is widening its adoption of marine wind propulsion systems, today announcing a further 7 vessels are to be equipped with sail systems. 

That includes six new bulk carriers that will each be equipped with one of the firm's 'Wind Challenger' telescopic hard sail systems.

Developed by MOL and Oshima Shipbuilding, Wind Challenger is already being used on bulker Shofu Maru.

In May MOL said the system reduced daily fuel consumption by up to 17%, and by 5-8% per voyage on average.

Last week MOL announced the system will also be installed on the 90,00 dwt Post Panamax Kurotakisan Maru 3 in second half of 2025.

The seventh vessel featured in today's announcement will be fitted with a Ventfoil 'suction sail' system from EconoWind B.V..

Unlike conventional sails, suction sails work by dragging air across an aerodynamic surface at the front of the 'sail' to generate propulsion.

Excluding the Ventfoil system, and the rotor sail installtion announced last year on a Vale charterred vessel, MOL says by 2030 it is targettng the launch of 25 vessels equipped with its Wind Challenger system and 80 vessels by 2035.