Cargill-chartered bulk carrier gets rotor sails installation

A bulk carrier chartered by US-based multinational firm Cargill has been retrofitted with rotor sails to reduce fuel consumption.

PHOTO: Rotor-fitted bulk carrier TR Lady at sea. Anemoi

The 82,000-dwt bulk carrier TR Lady is owned by London-based investment firm Tufton. The vessel has recently completed its first voyage from China to Australia with the newly installed wind-assisted propulsion system.

The three 24-metre-tall rotor sails were installed by UK-based rotor sail provider Anemoi Marine Technologies (Anemoi) at Chengxi Shipyard in China.

A rotor sail is a modernised form of Flettner rotor based on the Magnus effect, which creates air pressure to cause spinning.

Under favourable wind conditions, the rotor sails will enable the vessel's main engine to throttle back and consume less fuel while providing enough power to maintain speed.

The first voyage of TR Lady was monitored, and initial data suggests that the vessel “can see average annual fuel and emissions savings exceeding the original expectations.” The vessel is expected “to save more than 10% fuel and emissions annually,” Anemoi claims.

“We are pleased to be partnering with Tufton who share our decarbonisation ambition and belief in wind propulsion as a key part of the future of shipping,” Cargill’s president of ocean transportation Jan Dieleman says.

The vessel's performance will be monitored over the coming months.

By Tuhin Roy

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