Norespower Unveils World’s First Tiltable Rotor Sail

• Two of Norsepower’s largest 35m tall Rotor Sails to be retrofitted onto Ro-Ro.
• The SC Connector, a 12,251 gross tonne (GT) Ro-Ro cargo vessel operates in the North Sea.
• The routes involve navigating under multiple bridges and powerlines.
• These require the Rotor Sails to have a tilting function.
• The company has developed Rotor Sails that tilt to almost horizontal when required.

Two of Norsepower’s largest 35m tall Rotor Sails to be retrofitted onto Ro-Ro operating in the North Sea are predicted to reduce emissions by an estimated 25%, says a press release published on its website.

Installation of the world’s first tiltable Rotor Sail

Norsepower Oy Ltd., announced an agreement to install two of Norsepower’s largest Rotor Sails onboard the SC Connector, a side door Ro-Ro. The agreement also heralds the installation of the world’s first tiltable Rotor Sail, showcasing the innovative design adaptations that can be made for individual vessel requirements.

The SC Connector, a 12,251 gross tonne (GT) Ro-Ro cargo vessel operates in the North Sea, which allows for some of the most favorable wind conditions for Rotor Sails. The routes involve navigating under multiple bridges and powerlines which require the Rotor Sails to have a tilting function. Working in tandem, Norsepower and SEA-CARGO combined their expertise to develop the 35m high and 5m wide Rotor Sails to enable them to tilt to almost horizontal when required.

The Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution

It can be installed on new vessels or retrofitted on existing ships – is a modernized version of the Flettner rotor, a spinning cylinder that uses the Magnus effect to harness wind power to thrust a ship. Preparations for the retrofit on the SC Connector are currently taking place with the installation scheduled for Q4 2020.

With growing international and public pressure on the maritime industry to move towards decarbonization, the ability to harness the wind to generate thrust, reduce fuel consumption and emissions, is a natural next step for the maritime transport industry. Norsepower has analyzed the routes for the SC Connector and estimates that its technology would be able to achieve a carbon emissions reduction of 25% for this vessel.

Aim to reduce emissions

Commenting on the agreement, Tuomas Riski, CEO, Norsepower, said: “We are delighted to be working with SEA-CARGO, not only as they are keen to demonstrate their commitment to maximizing the propulsive power of the wind to reduce emissions, but also for their cooperation and innovation in making tilting Rotor Sails a realization. Rotor Sails are particularly well suited to Ro-Ro vessels and working with SEA-CARGO to deliver a tilting Rotor Sail ensures we are providing an adaptable solution that fits with particular vessel requirements, specifically demonstrating vessels with height restrictions to benefit from the Rotor Sail solution.”

Harness the wind to generate energy

Ole Sævild, Managing Director, SEA-CARGO, added: “With a growing international focus on reducing CO₂ emissions and other gases/particles – the ability to harness the wind to generate energy, reduce fuel consumption and emissions is a natural next step for the maritime transport industry. The goal of this project has been to design more environmentally friendly vessels by combining several existing technologies. In good wind conditions, the sailing hybrid vessel will maintain regular service speed by sail alone.”

First third-party verified technology

The Norsepower Rotor Sail is the first third-party verified and commercially operational auxiliary wind propulsion technology for the global maritime industry. The solution is fully automated and detects whenever the wind is strong enough to deliver fuel and emission savings, at which point the Rotor Sails start automatically.

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Source: Norsepower

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