UK’s Anemoi awarded rotor sail development grant

London-based Anemoi Marine Technologies has won a GBP 1.2 million grant from the UK’s Department of Transport to support the GBP 1.9 million development of a new 3.5m-diameter, 24.5m-high rotor sail design suitable for medium-sized vessels.

The sail developer has already broken into the market for larger ships, with sail heights of 24m, 30m and 35m. During the second quarter of this year, rotor sails will be installed on the very large ore carrier, Sohar Max, owned by Oman’s Asyad Shipping and chartered to Brazilian mining giant, Vale. Meanwhile, the 82,000dwt TR Lady, a Kamsarmax bulk carrier owned by Tufton Investment Management and chartered to Cargill, is already in service with three 24m-high sails.  

The new rotor sail design is intended for ships including Handysize and Ultramax bulk carriers, chemical and product tankers, and RoRos. The sails can be supplied with Anemoi’s unique longitudinal rail deployment system, enabling them to be moved along the deck to ensure efficient cargo handling.

Victoria Steamship, also in London, operates a number of mid-sized vessels and will support Anemoi in sail development and testing. The company will contribute technical knowhow on bulk carrier operations, as well as essential vessel data and feedback.

The year-long project will be supported by various other parties. Dynamics analysis will be undertaken by Frazer Nash Consultancy, supporting the development of a demonstrator. Stehr Consulting Ltd and Lloyd’s Register will oversee regulations and certification, and market research and UK supply chain analysis will be carried out by Connected Places Catapult. The demonstrator will be manufactured by Pressure Design Hydraulics Ltd. and housed at the Vince Technology Centre, a company specialising in engineering, testing, and sustainability.

Kim Diederichsen, Anemoi CEO, said: “We are thrilled to be selected for this valuable grant to build the demonstrator which will continue to propel our commitment to sustainable maritime solutions … We aim not only to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime industry but to also chart a course towards innovation, collaboration, and positive environmental impact on a global scale.”

The grant has been made available from the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 4, one of various initiatives launched by the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE), a development platform set up by the UK Department of Transport.