Union Maritime celebrated a significant achievement with the arrival of its new tanker, Brands Hatch, in Rotterdam on September 8th. The vessel is the first newbuild tanker to be equipped with BAR Technologies’ WindWings, a wind-assisted propulsion system.
Performance and Impact
During its initial voyage, the Brands Hatch demonstrated the effectiveness of its wind propulsion system. In favorable weather conditions, the WindWings provided over a third of the vessel’s propulsion, even when it was fully loaded. By using a sail-aware weather routing system, the ship saved 12.8 tonnes of fuel in 24 hours, which is equivalent to a reduction of 13 tonnes of CO₂ per WindWing per day. At its peak, the system achieved a saving of 18 tonnes per day over a continuous six-hour period.
Future Plans and Industry Collaboration
The Brands Hatch is the first of many wind-assisted vessels Union Maritime plans to add to its fleet. The company intends to install WindWings on many of its ships to meet global emissions regulations through 2030. This initiative is part of a collaborative project, AeroPower, led by Union Maritime in partnership with other maritime industry companies to ensure the safe and efficient adoption of this technology globally.
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Source: Container News
