VLCC delivered with rigid wing sails

The 40-metre high sails were developed in collaboration with the vessel’s owner China Merchant Energy Shipping (CMES), the vessel’s classification society China Classification Society (CCS) and Guangwei Composite Materials.

The total surface area of each sail surface is about 1,200 square metres. The sail blade is made of carbon fibre composite to provide low weight, high strength and good corrosion resistance in the marine environment.

A highly autonomous and intelligent control system ensures the sails operate efficiently under varying conditions using real-time navigational data. The push-button system can monitor the status of its power supply, conduct self-checks, as well as execute the hydraulic lifting and electric rotation of the sails.

Taking the Middle East – Far East route at economic speed as an example, the use of the sails is expected to reduce fuel consumption saving by over 9.8%, corresponding to a CO2 emissions reduction of over 2,900 tons.

The vessel has also been optimised to reduce fuel consumption while providing improved sailing performance in wind and waves. The 333-metre vessel meets CCS requirements for Harmonized Common Structural Rules (HCSR), the latest oxynitride and oxysulfide emission standards, Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), the EU Inventory of Hazardous Materials and ship recycling and the latest requirements that given by major oil majors.