This makes the MT
Chemical Challenger the first chemical tanker in the world to be equipped with
sustainable wind technology. The ship
will serve on shipping company Chemship’s Trans-Atlantic route between the East
Coast of the United States and the Mediterranean.
This week four
16-metre-high aluminium wind sails were installed on board the 134-metre long
vessel. The VentoFoils from Econowind create a direct wind surface of 180 m 2 .
Smart vacuum technology quintuples the force of the wind, creating a gross wind
surface of 900 m 2 . This is equivalent to an imaginary sail of 30 by 30
metres. Chemship expects to achieve an average CO2 reduction of 10% with these
turbo sails.
Chemship
has a relatively young fleet with an average ship age of seven years. With
wind assisted ship propulsion, CEO Niels Grotz sees shipping returning to its
roots: “As an avid sailor, I know the power of the wind. We will now harness
this sustainable and free energy source on MT Chemical Challenger. Despite the
fact that shipping already has the lowest carbon footprint of all transport
modes, we can use wind to make our existing fleet even more sustainable. With
the VentoFoils, we will use less fuel and thus reduce CO2 emissions. For this
vessel, we anticipate an annual CO2 reduction of 850 tonnes. This is equivalent
to the yearly CO2 emissions of over 500 passenger cars.”
The emergence of
wind-assisted sailing coincides exactly with the introduction of the European
Emissions Trading System for the shipping industry. Since 1 January, shipowners have been paying for the emissions
associated with transporting goods by sea to and from European ports. Niels
explains: “Our customers increasingly demand CO2 reports. The better our ships
perform, the higher the rating from our customers. Fewer emissions are not only
beneficial for the environment, you will also notice it directly in your
wallet.”
The wind sails fit
well within the existing configuration of Chemship’s tankers. Operations
Director Michiel Marelis explains the choice of wind propulsion: “Shipping is
evolution: one step at a time. Chemship
was looking for a solution that would not interfere with normal operations.
These wind sails were easy to install without adding reinforcements to the ship.
They are lightweight, have a small deck ‘footprint’ and do not obstruct the
crew’s line of sight. At the push of a button, they can fold or set the sails
as needed. Above wind force seven, the sails fold automatically, which is much
safer. Now it is learning by doing. With positive results, we will also equip
the next vessel with VentoFoils.”
Wind propulsion is
part of a larger sustainability plan, as Michiel explains: “The beauty of these turbo sails is that you can show it to customers.
They immediately capture everyone’s imagination. We hope this will inspire
others to choose wind assisted propulsion too. We also focus on less visible
spects such as improved lubricating oils and a coating that enables the ship to
glide through the water more efficiently. Cumulatively, this leads to fuel savings of over 15%. This all goes hand in
hand with a CO2 reduction. Chemship remains committed to making the fleet more
sustainable.”
Tags: Chemical Tanker, Chemship, Technology, Vacuum