JDP signed to develop rotor sails for MR tankers

London-based wind sail developer Anemoi Marine Technologies Ltd is joining forces with tanker major, Hafnia, China’s Guangzhou Shipyard International, and DNV, to design rotor sails for installation on 50,000dwt medium range (MR) tankers. The companies formalised the arrangement in a joint development project (JDP) in April.

The wind sail firm will work with the tanker company to carry out engineering studies relating to the safe installation of rotor sails on tankers of this size, as well as the control systems that will be required. The partners will also assess the extent to which rotor sails may boost EEDI and EEXI ratings for both existing ships and new tankers in the future.

The Chinese shipyard will develop essential technical documentation for the design integration of rotor sails. And the classification society will assess the plans and issue an Approval in Principle enabling installations to go ahead.

Jesper Kristiansen, Hafnia’s general manager, Technical, said: “Participating in this joint development project allows us to collaborate with industry partners to unlock the full potential of rotor sails on MR tankers. It supports Hafnia’s decarbonisation strategy to assess and embrace the potential of innovative technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce vessel emissions.”

Anemoi’s chief production and partnerships officer, Nick Contopoulos, commented: “There is growing interest within the tanker sector for novel technology that can help reduce the carbon footprint of their vessels and increase their value, particularly as the MR tanker fleet is expected to grow in the coming years. Our partnership with Hafnia, alongside GSI and DNV, will ensure a new generation of MR tankers that utilises rotor sails to improve their efficiency and sustainability credentials hits the water in the not-too-distant future.”