Singapore-based ship management company Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) has signed a contract with Spain’s automated wind-assisted propulsion system specialist bound4blue for the installation of three 22-meter eSAILS on a newbuild MR tanker being built at China’s New Times Shipbuilding (NTS).
As disclosed, the vessel is set to be outfitted with the three suction sails sometime in late 2025 . EPS has noted that this ship is its first newbuilding to be equipped with this type of technology.
The eSAIL—suitable for both newbuildings and retrofitting projects—functions by dragging gusts of air across an aerodynamic surface. In doing so, it generates lift and ‘significant’ propulsive efficiency, bound4blue highlighted, thus reducing fuel consumption, slashing harmful emissions and lowering OPEX.
The suction sails are compatible with “diverse” vessel types, such as tankers, bulkers, RoRo ships, cruises, ferries, and gas carriers.
This technology received the go-ahead from Norway’s classification society DNV back in September this year via a full-type approval design certificate (TADC). At that time, the Spanish business said it expected a “surge in new orders” and a ‘faster’ adoption process of the eSAIL.
The latest agreement between EPS and bound4blue follows the former’s first project with the Spanish company earlier this year, which involved retrofitting three eSAILs onboard the 183-meter long 50,000 dwt oil and chemical tanker, the Pacific Sentinel.
Specifically, in February this year, the Pacific Sentinel was equipped with three 22-meter eSAILs that would work in tandem with the ship’s existing propulsion system to optimize power and reduce engine load and fuel consumption, with no need for crew input and low maintenance requirements.
It is understood that EPS’s decision to incorporate wind-assisted technology is in line with its broader decarbonization strategy, which spans dual-fuel vessels, biofuels, voyage optimization systems as well as carbon capture technologies.
Reflecting on the agreement between the two companies, bound4blue COO, Daniel Mann , shared: “These systems offer a proven, mechanically simple solution to reduce emissions, cut costs, and meet regulatory requirements such as FuelEU Maritime, CII, and EU ETS. We are thrilled to support EPS in achieving its sustainability goals.”
In 2024 alone, bound4blue revealed that the company saw ‘huge’ growth, going from four projects on the orderbook to 14, with four installations up and running.
One notable development took place in March this year when bound4blue installed three fixed suction sails on the 5,200 dwt RoRo ship Ville de Bordeaux owned by French shipping company Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA).
As explained, the project was completed around three months after the eSAIL foundations were equipped in Poland, in November 2023.
More recently, namely in mid-November 2024, bound4blue shook hands with Danish tanker operator Maersk Tankers to install 20 of its 26-meter eSAILs across five MR tankers.
The tankers are scheduled to be outfitted with bound4blue’s solution during dry dock periods in 2025 and 2026.