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Illustration of the Dietrich Oldendorff with three rotor sails installed.

Photo courtesy Oldendorff Carriers

Oldendorff Turns to Norsepower Rotor Sails to Reduce Emissions

Mike Schuler
Total Views: 854
February 5, 2024

Oldendorff and Norsepower have announced an agreement to install three Norsepower Rotor Sails™ on board a modern bulk carrier to reduce its emissions.

The vessel, Dietrich Oldendorff, will be equipped with three 24m x 4m Norsepower Rotor Sails™ by mid-2024. The ship is contracted to operate on a North Pacific trade route to Asia, transporting shipments of steelmaking coal from the Port of Vancouver for Canadian mining company Teck.

The Norsepower Rotor Sail, a modernized Flettner rotor, uses minimal electric power to rotate cylinder-shaped rotors on a ship’s deck. This rotation, combined with wind, creates a powerful thrust that saves fuel and reduces emissions. The rotors are partly made from around 342,000 plastic bottles.

Over ten years, Norsepower Rotor Sails have accumulated 310,000 operating hours on ships, resulting in a reduction of over 21,000 tons in CO2 emissions. The installation on the Dietrich Oldendorff is planned for the second quarter of 2024.

“We are extremely excited about reducing fuel consumption and emissions by harnessing the power of the wind with Norsepower Rotor Sails™, a proven energy-saving product,” said Torsten Barenthin, Director of Research & Development at Oldendorff.

Tuomas Riski, CEO of Norsepower, adds: “Oldendorff is a dream customer for Norsepower in more than one way: a family-owned, legendary, company with over 100 years operating in the industry and around 700 vessels on the water today. Oldendorff is making green shipping a reality today and is the best partner we could have on our journey towards the zero-carbon industry. I wholeheartedly welcome Oldendorff’s commitment to Norsepower’s mission of decarbonizing shipping and look forward to the next possibilities for cooperation!”

Norsepower’s CEO, Tuomas Riski, praises Oldendorff for its commitment to green shipping and its potential for partnership in decarbonizing the shipping industry. The installation will mark Oldendorff’s first use of rotor sails among its fleet of more than 180 owned and 750 operated ships.

“Oldendorff is making green shipping a reality today and is the best partner we could have on our journey towards the zero-carbon industry. I wholeheartedly welcome Oldendorff’s commitment to Norsepower’s mission of decarbonizing shipping and look forward to the next possibilities for cooperation,” said Riski.

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