Maria Topic returns to service following OceanWings retrofit
Maria Topic is the second vessel to be outfitted with OceanWings sails (Source: Oceanwings)
The Malta-flagged Ultramax bulk carrier Maria Topic has returned to commercial service following the installation of OceanWings rigid wingsails during a retrofit project completed at Tsuneishi Shipbuilding in Japan. The project, undertaken by shipping company Topic, Tsuneishi Shipbuilding and OceanWings, involved fitting the vessel with wind-assisted propulsion technology designed to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
The partners said the retrofit demonstrates that rigid wingsail systems can be integrated into existing merchant vessels during scheduled shipyard periods, offering owners a route to improve efficiency without commissioning newbuild tonnage. The installation marks another commercial deployment for OceanWings and follows the earlier application of the technology aboard another of the Monaco-based company’s vessels, Paolo Topic. The companies said the project also demonstrated their ability to manufacture, deliver and install wind-assisted propulsion systems for the dry bulk sector.
“Maria Topic follows Paolo Topic in our journey towards more sustainable shipping,” said Alex Albertini, the chief executive of Topic’s mangaging company Marfin management. “By adding wind-assisted propulsion to an existing bulk carrier, we are continuing to invest in practical technologies that reduce fuel consumption and emissions across our fleet. OceanWings and Tsuneishi Shipbuilding demonstrated a strong understanding of our operational requirements, allowing the retrofit to be completed within the drydock period.”
Tsuneishi Shipbuilding highlighted the role of shiprepair and retrofit expertise in deploying emerging technologies aboard existing vessels, while OceanWings described the project as an important step in scaling up commercial deployment of its wingsail system.
Initial operational data from Maria Topic is expected to be presented during SMM Hamburg this week. The retrofit was supported by the EU-funded WHISPER project, which is developing modular retrofit technologies combining wind-assisted propulsion and onboard renewable energy systems for commercial shipping.
