(Photo: Vale)
Brazilian miner Vale expects to soon put into service the first-ever bulk carrier propelled partially sails, the company said on Thursday.
The rotor sail-equipped newbuild, a very large ore carrier (VLOC) named Sea Zhoushan, is being built in China for owner by Pan Ocean Ship Management and will be chartered by Vale upon delivery in the coming days. Not only is Sea Zhoushan the first bulk carrier to be fitted with rotor sails, the 340-meter, 325,000 dwt vessel is also the largest ship ever to be outfitted with the fuel-saving and emissions-reducing technology, said manufacturer Norsepower.
The Finnish company estimates the five rotor sails installed on the deck of the Sea Zhoushan will enable an 8% efficiency gain and consequent reduction of up to 3,400 tons of CO2 per year. The cylindrical sails are 4 meters in diameter and 24 meters high, and they can be tilted by using hydraulic cylinders. The five tilting rotor sails will allow Vale to maintain flexible cargo op
Norsepower Announces Installation Of Five Tiltable Rotor Sails On A Vloc Chartered By Vale
Norsepower Oy Ltd., the leading global provider of auxiliary wind propulsion systems, today announced the installation of five tilting Rotor Sails onboard a newbuild Very Large Ore Carrier (VLOC) chartered by Vale, the Brazilian mining company. The first installation of Norsepower’s innovative Rotor Sails on a bulk carrier demonstrates the adaptability of the technology to reduce fuel consumption, fuel costs and reduce emissions across a variety of vessel types.
The new vessel, a 325,000 dwt VLOC is owned by Pan Ocean Ship Management and will be chartered by Vale after construction is completed in China. To enable efficient cargo operations, the five 24m high and 4m diameter Rotor Sails can be tilted by using hydraulic cylinders.