Wallenius Wilhelmsen plans full-scale PCTC powered by wind
Illustration of the Orcelle Wind (Source: Wallenius Wilhelmsen)
Wallenius Wilhelmsen is planning to have a wind-powered 7,000-vehicle pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) design ready to be ordered at a shipyard by mid-2022. The Norwegian-Swedish shipping company intends to commission the Orcelle Wind in 2025, subject to a comprehensive viability evaluation. In addition to cars, the vessel will be capable of transporting heavy machinery and breakbulk cargoes, the company said.
The main propulsion of the 200m-long Orcelle Wind will be based on 80m-high sails made of metal and composite material.
The PCTC, intended for ocean operation, will be capable of achieving a 90% reduction in emissions, with a service speed of 10-12 knots, on multiple trade lanes around the world. A supplementary power system will be available for additional speed and safe manoeuvring when required at sea and in port.
Erik Noeklebye, executive vice president and COO of shipping services at the RoRo shipping company, commented: “Orcelle Wind will be our technical and operational testbed for zero-emission innovation, where we can assess and develop various zero-emissions fuels and technology.”
His colleague, Craig Jasienski, Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s CEO, added: “Since 2008, we have been able to reduce CO2 intensity by 33%, which is a significant step. But the journey towards zero emissions requires great strides forward. We believe Orcelle Wind is one of them.”
