Freighter Completes Bunker Saving Flettner Rotor Retrofit

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Friday June 22, 2018

An EcoFlettner rotor has been successfully installed on the 90-metre long multi-purpose freighter MV Fehn Pollux.

The process took 18 days, with the MariGreen project giving daily updates on progress along the way.

The vessel has also been installed with a fuel meter to measure bunker consumption and verify fuel savings, and a control system to operate the rotor either manually or automatically.

"The EcoFlettner rotates with a maximum of 280 times per minute. But that doesn't always make sense, because the rotor itself uses electrical energy to move around. Therefore, an algorithm takes over these calculations," says Moritz Götting from the Department of Maritime Sciences at the University of Emden/Leer, who programmed to control system.

The Fehn Pollux is expected to depart and complete sea trials today.

In the coming years, wind assisted propulsion technology is expected to play a growing role in helping the Marine Shipping industry reduce its emissions.