SNA to install a suction sail on multipurpose cargo vessel

Tahitian shipping company SNA TUHA’A PAE (SNA) has selected Spanish wind-assisted propulsion technology developer bound4blue to install a suction sail on its multipurpose cargo vessel.

PHOTO: Illustration of SNA's vessel with a suction sail. bound4blue

The vessel, Na Pae E Hiro, will be equipped with a 22-meter-high suction sail, which is a form of wind-assisted propulsion system (WAPS). The technology is based on active boundary layer control using suction, where an air pump extracts the boundary layer on the sail, effectively reducing drag by enhancing airflow.

It “produces 6-7 times more lift than a conventional sail, with minimal power consumption and no mechanical complexity,” according to bound4blue.

The suction sail installation is likely to reduce the vessel’s energy consumption by 10%, bound4blue claims.

The vessel is expected to start operating between the French Polynesian islands of Tahiti and Austral Islands from 2026.

The project is supported by funds from the French government.

Wind-assisted propulsion systems gaining momentum

WAPS have been gaining popularity among shipowners as they look for technologies that can boost vessel performance, reduce fuel use, and enhance sustainability.

In December, German container firm Hapag-Lloyd announced that it is exploring wind-assisted propulsion and ways to implement it technically.

Prior to that in November,  Japanese shipping company Ocean Network Express (ONE) partnered with Dutch maritime wind-power tech firm Econowind to launch a six-month trial for wind propulsion technology. And Brazilian mining company Vale inked a deal with Omani shipping firm Asyad to install rotor sails on one of its chartered ore carriers.

By Tuhin Roy

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