The Netherlands – The M/V EEMS Traveller, owned and operated by Amasus Shipping of the Netherlands, will begin harnessing wind power.
During a port call in 2022, the 91-meter-long general cargo vessel will be retrofitted with two 17-meter-high eSAILs. In December 2021, bound4blue installed a similar unit on the M/V La Naumon, making it the largest suction sail ever built and installed on a ship.
The eSAIL is a type of Wind-Assisted Propulsion System (WAPS) that uses suction to control the active boundary layer. When exposed to the wind and the suction is turned off, it produces the same amount of drag as any other non-lifting structure. When the suction is turned on, a small amount of air is sucked in, re-adhering the airflow to the sail and generating massive amounts of lift with minimal drag.
The eSAIL generates 6-7 times more lift than a traditional sail with minimal power consumption and no mechanical complexity for simple and reliable operation.
Lowering carbon intensity
In favorable trade routes, the suction sails are expected to reduce the 2,850 dwt ship’s fuel costs and annual CO2 emissions by up to 30%. The installation will also lower the vessel’s Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and raise the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), ensuring that it complies with IMO regulations aimed at lowering the carbon intensity of international shipping.
