First Wind-Assisted Supertanker Delivered in China

The world’s first partially sail-powered supertanker has been delivered in China.

The M/V New Aden was delivered this month by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry to China Merchant Energy Shipping.

With four giant “wing sails” fitted to its deck, the vessel is unofficially the first Very Large Crude Carrier to be feature wind-assisted propulsion technology.

The wind sails were developed by DSIC with participation from CMES, the China Classification Society, and Guangwei Composite Materials Co.

At a height of 40 meters, each sail has a sail area of 1,200 square meters. The blade is made of carbon fiber for low weight, high durability and corrosion resistance at sea. For maximum efficiency, the sails are controlled autonomously and can also be lowered and raised at the touch of a button.

Taking an example of a hypothetical Middle-East to Far East route, the technology is estimated to reduce fuel consumption by more than 9.8%, corresponding to about 2,900 tons of CO2 emissions.

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