- The company has partnered with bound4blue to install a 24-metre eSAIL® on LPG carrier Helena Kosan, marking its first agreement in the LPG segment.
- The eSAIL® offers non-explosion proof installation, compact design, and high propulsive efficiency—helping reduce fuel consumption, emissions, and regulatory burdens.
- Scheduled for installation in 2026, the system underscores BWEK’s strategy of adopting proven green technologies alongside ongoing efforts in efficiency and alternative fuels.
Barcelona, September 9 – BW Epic Kosan (BWEK), a leading transporter of LPG, petrochemicals, and speciality gases, has signed its first agreement with bound4blue for the installation of a 24-metre eSAIL® suction sail on the Helena Kosan (built 2007). This marks bound4blue’s entry into the LPG carrier market and its first collaboration with a BW Group affiliate. The autonomous system will be fitted in 2026, enabling fuel savings, emission reductions, cost optimisation, and regulatory compliance.
Safe, simple sailing
Bound4blue CEO and Co-founder José Miguel Bermúdez emphasised the suitability of the technology for LPG and tanker segments. The eSAIL®’s design places its maintenance access high above deck, keeping it outside hazardous zones and eliminating the need for expensive ATEX-certified systems. This mechanically simple and compact solution combines safety, easy installation, and strong performance, making it well-suited for BWEK’s decarbonisation targets.
Market benefits
The DNV Type Approved eSAIL® operates by drawing air across an aerodynamic surface, generating lift up to seven times greater than conventional rigid sails of similar size. This translates into more power with a smaller footprint, directly cutting fuel consumption and emissions. The technology also helps shipowners comply with tightening regulations, including EU ETS, CII, FuelEU Maritime, and the IMO’s upcoming GFI framework, while benefitting from wind reward incentives.
The system has already attracted orders from Maersk Tankers, Marflet Marine, and Klaveness Combination Carriers, with recent installations completed for Odfjell, Eastern Pacific Shipping, and Louis Dreyfus Company.
Investing in the future
Jakob Bode, CEO of BWEK, highlighted the company’s ongoing commitment to reducing its environmental footprint through innovations such as ultrasonic transducers, graphene propeller coatings, and advanced weather routing. He noted that wind propulsion had been identified as a promising option, and bound4blue’s eSAIL® was chosen after thorough evaluation. The Helena Kosan will showcase this commitment starting in 2026.
Plug-and-play installation
The project will follow a two-step process: preparatory work during the vessel’s dry docking in 2025, followed by a quick “plug-and-play” installation of the sail in 2026.
Bound4blue’s eSAIL® technology is designed for both retrofits and newbuilds, covering a wide range of vessel segments—from tankers and bulkers to cruise ships, Ro-Ros, ferries, gas carriers, and general cargo vessels. With a typical payback period of under five years, it represents a commercially viable step toward greener shipping.
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Source: Bound4blue
