Bound4blue installs suction sails on EPS tanker

Spanish wind-assisted propulsion technology firm bound4blue has installed three suction sails on a tanker operated by Singapore-headquartered Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS).

IMAGE: Eastern Pacific Shipping's tanker Pacific Sunstone fitted with suction sails. Bound4blue

Three 22-metre sails were fitted on the medium range (MR) tanker Pacific Sunstone at New Times Shipbuilding in Jiangsu Province, China. This is EPS’ first newbuild installation, following a retrofit project on Pacific Sentinel completed in February last year.

Adoption of wind-assisted propulsion systems is increasing as shipowners aim to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

In February, Japanese classification society ClassNK verified the performance of a kite-based wind propulsion system developed by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) and its French subsidiary Oceanicwing. In the same month, Oceanbird—a joint venture between Alfa Laval and Wallenius Lines—secured its first commercial order for a wind-assisted propulsion system.

By Tuhin Roy

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