Nippon Marine vessel fitted with rotor sails

Australian mining company BHP, Japanese copper supplier Pan Pacific Copper (PPC), and Finnish cleantech company Norsepower collaborated to retrofit Tokyo-based Nippon Marine's vessel with a rotor sail.

PHOTO: M/V Koryu retrofitted with Norsepower's rotor sail. Norsepower

The vessel, M/V Koryu, was retrofitted with Norsepower’s 35-metre rotor sail in June. It is a combination vessel which can carry both liquid and dry bulk cargoes, the companies said.

After the retrofit, the vessel is now set for her maiden voyage from Japan to Chile. It will carry copper concentrates from Chile to Japan and sulphuric acid from Japan to Chile, the companies said.

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 use of the rotor sail will have an estimated outcome of 5-6% of fuel savings, on average, on the route between Chile and Japan, according to the joint statement.

“BHP, PPC and Norsepower will be monitoring the NPRS [Norsepowerrotor sail] performance onboard the M/V Koryu to determine the actual fuel savings and associated GHG emissions reduction,” BHP said.

By Aparupa Mazumder 

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