Union Maritime takes delivery of third LR2 tanker with WindWings

London-based Union Maritime has commissioned the tanker Monza, a third LR2 vessel in a series to be fitted with BAR Technologies’ WindWings® rigid sail technology. The LNG dual-fuel Monza, about 113,300dwt, has two 37.5m-tall WindWings that will significantly improve efficiency and ensure that the tanker meets tightening fuel regulations for many years to come.

The vessel has been built by Yangzijiang Shipbuilding in China’s Jiangsu Province while the rigid wind sails have been manufactured at CM Energy Tech, a China Merchants subsidiary.

Union Maritime, which is naming its series of LR2 tankers after Formula One circuits, has a clearly defined decarbonisation programme and, against continuing uncertainty at the IMO, is pressing ahead with measures that yield immediate benefits. Wind propulsion, the company says, is a fuel-agnostic pathway to meeting FuelEU Maritime and IMO targets today.  

Speaking at the naming ceremony recently, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding deputy general manager, Zhou Kewei, said: “The successful delivery of Monza demonstrates how wind-assisted propulsion can be integrated efficiently across a series of vessels. Through close collaboration with BAR Technologies, we are accelerating the industrialisation of low-carbon ship solutions and supporting the industry’s transition to more sustainable operations.”