Union Maritime to install WAPS on two tankers

UK-based marine engineering company BAR Technologies has secured an order to install its wind-assisted propulsion system (WAPS) on two Long Range 2 (LR2) tankers of Union Maritime.

IMAGE: Illustration of Union Maritime’s tanker with rigid sails. BAR Technologies

The two 250-metre-long tankers, Suzuka and Long Beach, will each be fitted with two 37.5-metre rigid sails—also known as solid or wing sails—a wind-assisted propulsion technology designed to harness wind energy to aid ship movement.

The vessels are being designed by Chinese ship designer SDARI and built by Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry, with delivery expected in the first quarter of 2027.

The rigid sails will help achieve an average fuel saving of 3 mt/day for each tanker, according to BAR Technologies.

The move comes after the successful implementation of WAPS on the Union Maritime-operated tanker Brands Hatch.

“Wind is no longer an experiment or a future option; it’s a proven fuel source that’s ready to deliver real impact today,” said John Cooper, chief executive of BAR Technologies.

By Tuhin Roy

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