Anemoi in massive rotor sails retrofit on Sohar Max

Anemoi Marine Technologies has installed five massive 35m rotor sails on the Marshall Islands-registered Valemax bulk carrier Sohar Max, amounting to what could be the largest sails installation thus far. Installed at the Cosco Zhoushan Shipyard in China, the system is capable of folding during cargo handling operations, to mitigate disruption to port operations.

The sails could be responsible for around 6% of fuel saving, Anemoi says, a proportionately large volume of fuel for the very large ore carrier (VLOC). Trading between Brazil and Malaysia around the Cape of Good Hope, Sohar Max will be able to take advantage of the powerful westerly winds on the headhaul, and the southeasterly tradewinds on its return voyage, saving around 3,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.

“Installing our rotor sails on this scale is a proud moment, showcasing our award-winning technology on another ore carrier. We are thrilled to be a part of Vale and Asyad’s ongoing sustainability plans and to support their efforts in driving decarbonisation across the maritime industry,” said Nick Contopoulos, chief Production & Partnerships officer at Anemoi. “We extend our deepest thanks to all our partners who made this retrofit possible. Together, we’re advancing meaningful change and driving the industry towards a greener future.”