A year ago we posted about the testing of two modern Rotor Sails installed on the MV Maersk Pelican, a 110,000 DWT  Long Range 2 product tanker. The 30-meter tall and 5-meter diameter rotors were predicted to reduce fuel consumption by 7 to 10% on average. A year later, the results for the first 12 months of operation are in and the savings from the rotors are on target. After a year, the average savings has been 8.2%. The fuel-savings also represent a reduction of approximately 1,400 tonnes of CO2. 

The savings were confirmed by comparing detailed performance information to a baseline established with full-scale measurements and computational analysis done for the vessel prior to the Rotor Sail installation. The results were also confirmed by Lloyd’s Register’s Ship Performance Group.

The Rotor Sails were designed and built by Norsepower Oy Ltd.,  working with project partners Maersk Tankers, Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) and Shell Shipping & Maritime. The rotors, the world’s largest, are a modern version of the Flettner rotor developed in the 1920s. When the rotors are spun in a wind, they develop lift which can be used to propel a ship and reduce the fuel consumed by the main engines.

“During the one-year trial period on Maersk Pelican, crew and operators have reported positively on the usability, safety, and performance of the Rotor Sails in all conditions,” Tommy Thomassen, Chief Technical Officer at Maersk Tankers, as reported by World Maritime News.  

“With the Maersk Pelican, there are three vessels in daily commercial operation using Norsepower’s Rotor Sails. Each of these cases represents a very different vessel type and operational profile, demonstrating the widespread opportunity to harness the wind through Rotor Sails across the maritime industry,” Tuomas Riski, CEO at Norsepower added.

The technology could offer even more savings depending on the vessels’ particular routes, Darryl Hylands, Programme Manager, HDV, Energy Technologies Institute (ETI), one of the partners on the project noted.

“On certain routes during the trial the vessel achieved fuel savings way beyond the average of 8.2% even with average wind conditions,” Hylands said.

“There is a clear potential to achieve higher fuel savings, and hence CO2savings, on routes with more favorable wind conditions, which further improves the commercial viability of the technology.”