SEA-CARGO's side-door ro-ro SC Connector has been outfitted with Norsepower's two 35 m-tall Rotor Sails that can tilt down and back up if the ship needs to sail under a bridge or a power line.
According to the parties, up to 25% in fuel savings can be expected from the investment. Moreover, in favourable wind conditions SC Connector will be able to maintain regular service speed by sail alone.
"Completing the installation has been extremely rewarding, as it reflects how, in taking a collaborative approach with a customer, we can innovate to create solutions that allow Rotor Sails to benefit almost any vessel type or trading route," Tuomas Riski, CEO, Norsepower, commented.
He furthered, "As we get closer to 2030 IMO targets [CO2 emissions reduced by at least 40% vs. 2008 levels], we are seeing our technology gaining momentum - with the market seeing the flexibility we can provide to suit different vessel requirements. This installation demonstrates the technology can go a long way to future-proofing IMO GHG compliance, while ensuring significant emissions, and fuel reductions to a variety of vessel profiles today."
Ole Sævild, Managing Director, SEA-CARGO, shared his company's perspective, "We are focussing on utilising available renewable energy and using it for direct propulsion to design more environmentally friendly vessels. The Rotor Sail technology has been proven in the market for a while, but the size is unique for our project. The sails are far more efficient than conventional sails of the same size and the tilting function is essential to our voyage routes."
He also announced, "Given the estimated emissions savings, we will use our experience of this full scale project, and proceed to develop it further for other vessels in our fleet."
Norsepower's Rotor Sail is a spinning cylinder that uses the so-called Magnus effect to use wind power to thrust a ship. The solution is fully automated and detects whenever the wind is strong enough to deliver fuel and emission savings, at which point the Rotor Sails start on its own.
Photo: Artur Sylerstrzak/Norsepower