Approval for new sail system for cargo vessels

Japanese yard Oshima Shipbuilding and Japanese shipping group Mitsui O.S.K. Lines have together received approval in principle (AIP) from classification society ClassNK for the design of wind-assistance system using hard sails for cargo vessels. The system converts wind energy to propulsive force with telescopic hard sails. Mitsui and Oshima Shipbuilding will continue to move toward a detailed design with the aim to launch of a newbuilding vessel equipped with a hard sail. That would reduce the vessel’s greenhouse gas emissions by about 5% on a Japan-Australia voyage, and about 8% on Japan-North America West Coast sailing. The design is part of the Wind Challenger Project which Mitsui and Oshima Shipbuilding have been involved in along with other companies. The project aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by using wind energy. Obtaining the AIP marks the completion of the initial design related to the sail structure and controls, the companies said. The long-term goal is to develop a widely accepted solution to achieve the IMO target in combination with other measures to reduce greenhouse gases by equipping vessels with multiple sails.