Cargo vessel benefits from double eSAIL wind power

The eSAIL system from bound4blue is based on the use of a thick aerodynamic profile and smart suction to increase propulsive efficiency, producing seven times more lift than an airplane wing.

“In the same way that we need proven sustainable solutions to decarbonize the industry, we also need to implement them as fast and efficiently as possible,” said José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO of bound4blue.

”As evidence of this, we have utilised for the first time the port infrastructure to install our systems, demonstrating that shipowners don’t have to wait for the scheduled maintenance of the ship to start reaping the benefits of wind propulsion.”

Greater efficiency

The two sails installed on Eems Traveller represent a new and improved generation of the system installed on the La Naumon, delivering higher efficiency with the same size.

Standing at a height of 17 metres, they continue to hold the record as the largest suction sail ever built and installed on a ship. In fact, the installation of these two sails on the Eems Traveller also marks the largest installation of fixed suction sails on a ship to date.

The installation was executed in two distinct phases. One year ago, during a scheduled regular dry-dock of the vessel, the foundations for the eSAILs were manufactured and installed in The Netherlands.

Verticalisation and connection to the reinforcement of the sails was completed in less than four hours at the Port of Bilbao just recently.

In between these two phases bound4blue has been monitoring the ship to obtain its baseline performance, which will be used by a third party to assess the fuel and emission savings results in the next 12 months. In this way, scientifically validated results are obtained, which can be used to demonstrate the actual effects of the system in use on board of the vessel and form the basis for any future further development.

This installation, approved by Bureau Veritas, has been done within the framework of the Sails for Cargo project, co-funded by Fondo Puertos 4.0 of Puertos del Estado, with the support from Port of Bilbao, Bilbao PortLab and Toro y Betolaza.