Wind sails scale on tankers

The latest project saw four 24-metre eSAIL units installed on the medium-range tanker Maersk Tahiti at a shipyard in Jiangyin, China. The installation follows the first retrofit, completed in January on Maersk Trieste and forms part of a wider rollout that will see 20 units deployed across five vessels.

bound4blue chief executive and co-founder José Miguel Bermúdez said the agreement reflects a broader shift in the industry. “The agreement with Maersk Tankers reflects the wider scaling up of wind power adoption across the industry,” he said. “Wind, and particularly suction sail technology, delivers massive advantage in both environmental and commercial contexts.”

The eSAIL units operate autonomously and require minimal maintenance, using airflow across an optimised surface to generate significantly greater lift than traditional sails. The systems can be installed on both existing vessels and newbuilds, making them adaptable across a range of ship types.

Bermúdez added that growing regulatory pressure is accelerating uptake. “It demonstrates a chance for forward-thinking owners to simplify an increasingly complex regulatory and operating environment with proven technology and a freely available power source,” he said.

The project also highlights bound4blue’s expanding presence in Asia, supported by partnerships to scale production and logistics. As shipping faces mounting decarbonisation targets, wind-assisted propulsion is increasingly seen as a practical solution ready for wider deployment.