British company sees market warming to fuel-saving Rotor Sails as shipping faces pressure to cut emissions
British wind-propulsion company Anemoi Marine Technologies seeks closer ties with South Korean shipbuilders and shipping companies as the industry faces growing pressure to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
“South Korea combines world-class shipbuilding, sophisticated shipowners and strong marine engineering capabilities,” Anemoi co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer Nick Contopoulos told The Korea Herald in Seoul last week.
Anemoi develops Rotor Sails, tall spinning cylinders installed on a vessel’s deck that use wind to generate forward thrust. The automated system works alongside the main engine, reducing the amount of fuel needed to propel the ship.
The company is working with Korean shipowners and has been approached by several major Korean shipyards about jointly integrating the technology into vessels, Contopoulos said. He declined to identify the companies.
Asked about potential partnerships with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean, he said Anemoi was open to collaboration but would need to consider demand and where to commit its resources.
“Korea has been a little more conservative, and it is about timing,” he said. “I think the timing is now slowly coming.”
He pointed to growing industry interest in wind-assisted propulsion and financial support from Korean banks for more efficient vessels as signs that the market may be changing.
According to Anemoi, a Kamsarmax bulk carrier equipped with three Rotor Sails reduced fuel consumption by an average of 9.1 percent during a yearlong assessment, with savings reaching 21 percent on some voyages. Actual performance varies depending on vessel design, route and wind conditions.
The company is now testing the technology in a segment where adoption has been more difficult.
Maersk selected Anemoi to install a Rotor Sail system on an 8,700 twenty-foot-equivalent-unit Lima-class container ship, the two companies announced last week. They described it as the first planned installation of Rotor Sails on a container vessel.
Container ships present a challenge because much of their deck space is occupied by cargo. Contopoulos said the planned configuration was designed to minimize disruption to container handling.
Interest in wind propulsion is growing as shipping companies weigh several lower-emission fuels, including liquefied natural gas, methanol and ammonia. Rotor Sails do not replace a vessel’s engine and can be used with different fuel types.
“I see wind as a complementary efficiency technology supporting the energy transition rather than competing with any of the fuel options in the market,” Contopoulos said.
Anemoi currently has 29 Rotor Sails in operation and more than 16 on order. Its expansion in Korea, however, will ultimately depend on whether shipowners and shipbuilders see a sufficient commercial case for wider adoption.
By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)
