NYK Line has announced the installation of a wind-assisted propulsion system called VentoFoil on the NBA MARGRITTE, a Panamax bulker under their ownership. The new system is expected to reduce fuel consumption by 10-30%.
The NBA MAGRITTE is an 82,100 dwt ship, measuring 751 feet in length, and was built by Tsuneishi in 2013. It is currently on a long-term charter for the prominent Swiss-based freight trading company Cargill International.
The VentoFoil system is designed by Econowind B.V., a wing sail producer based in the Netherlands. The company, NBAtlantic, a subsidiary of the NYK Group based in Belgium, will equip the bulk carrier with the VentoFoil wind propulsion unit.
This innovative system comprises a 16m long vertical wing, acting as a sail replacement. It generates propulsion through a pressure difference, amplified by a suction mechanism that takes in air and builds up the pressure difference. The ship will be equipped with two wings, each placed on top of a 20-foot flat rack container without walls.
NYK emphasizes that VentoFoil is preferred over alternatives due to its smaller size, which ensures the propulsion unit does not hinder cargo handling. Additionally, the system is claimed to be easy to install and relocate, with an installation time of only 1 to 2 days.
As part of this project, NBAtlantic will collect data on the propulsion generated by the installed equipment. To evaluate the unit’s effectiveness, the propulsion readings will be isolated exclusively from the system after accounting for meteorological and ocean conditions. NBAtlantic will collaborate with Cargill International S.A. to measure its efficiency. NYK has also stated that the data obtained from this project will be instrumental in researching and developing various energy-saving techniques.
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