Oldendorff Carriers, one of the world’s leading dry bulk
lines, announced that it will participate in a joint development project to design
and test wind-assisted propulsion technology for its dry bulk carriers. The
project, scheduled for completion in 2022, is designed to break down
significant barriers for the installation of rotor sails technology and pave
the path for commercial-ready applications across the industry.
During the joint development project, Oldendorff which owns
more than 100 vessels and with charters on average operates approximately 700
vessels will work with Anemoi Marine Technologies which has patented vertical
rotors. Lloyd’s Register and Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research
Institute will also participate in the project to develop a wind-assisted
propulsion solution for dry bulk carriers.
“This JDP, together with other ongoing projects in our
company, is a testament to our commitment to the development and application of
green technologies across our fleet,” says Torsten Barenthin, Director
Innovation of Oldendorff Carriers. “By partnering with the ship designer
(SDARI), manufacturer (Anemoi), and Classification Society (LR), OC seeks to
achieve a comprehensive functional application of wind technology that returns
environmental and commercial benefits throughout our vessels’ entire life
cycle.”
The project focuses on developing the designs of Anemoi’s
vertical rotors, which serve as mechanical sails, on the deck of an Oldendorff
vessel. When driven to rotate, the rotors harness the power of the wind to
provide additional thrust to vessels, reducing fuel consumption. To ensure the
rotors do not interfere with cargo operations and air draft limitations, the
sails are mounted with a folding system that enables them to be lowered from
vertical into a horizontal position on deck
Once the design and study phases have been concluded, the
results obtained will determine whether Oldendorff will proceed with the
installation of the wind rotor technology aboard one of its vessels. By fitting
vertical rotors on a 207,000 dwt Newcastlemax bulk carrier, wind propulsion
would be tested on long haul voyages.
The rotor sails technology is a complementary solution
suitable for combination with other green developments. Last year. Oldendorff
also signed an agreement with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s
Center for Bits & Atoms to investigate disruptive improvements in ship
design and propulsion to achieve the IMO 2030/50 goals.