January 30 ------ A coal carrier operating for Japan’s Iino Lines and power company J-Power completed its first voyage after the installation of a rotor sail manufactured by Norsepower. It is part of an effort by the Japanese shipping industry to accelerate the use of technologies to cut emissions and it was also one of the first large bulkers to be fitted with a rotor sail.
The companies announced the plans to fit the rotor sail on the bulker Yodohmie in July 2023 reporting at the time it was the first application of the rotor sail on a dedicated coal carrier. As the technology has gained greater acceptance, others including Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Tufton, U-Ming, Vale, BHP, and Berge Bulk each moved forward with projects employing rotor sails.
The Yodohmie (85,000 dwt) was built in Japan in 2016 and the rotor sail installation took place in December 2024. The vessel, which is 757 feet (229 meters) in length, was fitted with a single rotor sail placed near the bow. Norsepower reports it is 24 x 4 meters (79 x 13 feet) and is expected to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by approximately 6 to 10 percent. The first trip was completed in January 2025 deploying the rotor sail.
The Norsepower Rotor Sail is a modern adaptation capturing the Magnus effect generated when wind meets the rotating cylinder to produce propulsive force. Nortsepower highlights it utilizes AI technology to automatically control the rotation, direction, and speed of the rotor while incorporating real-time meteorological information, such as wind direction and wind speed. The data is fed to the system with sensors that measure the wind while a small amount of power from the ship slowly revolves the rotor. Iino Lines highlights this is the second vessel the company has equipped with a Norsepower Rotor Sail. Last November, it fitted a rotor on a very large gas carrier, Oceanus Aurora (58,495 dwt). This is the first application of wind-assisted propulsion for J-Power. The company is pursuing other wind-assisted propulsion applications with MOL and its rigid sail as well as the “K” Lines and the sail concept.
Norsepower highlights the growing support for wind-assisted propulsion in the commercial shipping industry. The company, which started in 2012, reports it has completed 30 rotor installations on 17 vessels. Within the next 18 months, the company reports 42 additional units are scheduled to be installed on 15 ships.
Source: maritime-executive.com
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