Alfa Laval and Wallenius join forces to supply wind propulsion solutions for sustainable shipping
Alfa Laval and Wallenius will form a 50/50 joint venture – AlfaWall Oceanbird – that will supply innovative wind propulsion solutions for cargo vessels and other ship types. The agreement was signed on June 28, 2021. The plan is to have the first Oceanbird system onboard a vessel within five years.
Shipping is responsible for 2-3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has targeted a 50 percent reduction of vessel-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Many countries and companies have already set decarbonization targets beyond the ones from the IMO – and the industry is in period of rapid change. To support the transformation towards more sustainable shipping, Alfa Laval continues to develop its toolbox of products and solutions for the industry. As part of this commitment, Alfa Laval is now joining forces with the Wallenius Group in the joint venture: AlfaWall Oceanbird. The joint venture is subject to customary merger clearance from relevant regulatory authorities.
AlfaWall Oceanbird, will develop wind propulsion technologies valid for any vessel type. The first installation will be implemented on a transatlantic car carrier with a capacity of 7,000 cars, and with an average speed of 10 knots it will cut emissions by up to 90 percent compared to today’s most energy-efficient vessels, thereby supporting the maritime industry’s shift towards zero-emission shipping. While the technology is initially developed for cargo vessels, the ambition is to expand it to cruise liners and other vessels based on market demand.
“Meeting the shipping industry’s decarbonization ambition will require multiple new solutions. In this new joint venture, we will combine the expertise of Alfa Laval and Wallenius, enabling us to develop a completely new and innovative vessel type that can contribute to the decarbonization targets,” says Tom Erixon, President and CEO of Alfa Laval.
“At Wallenius we are always striving to move the agenda for truly sustainable shipping,” says Jonas Kleberg, Chairman and CEO of Wallenius. “Just as we did with PureBallast, we will now bring Oceanbird into this partnership with Alfa Laval. Together we will provide a powerful solution for sustainable shipping.”
Did you know that… Since vessels have an average lifetime of 20 years or more, zero-emission vessels must begin entering the global fleet by 2030 in order to reach a 50 percent reduction by 2050?
This is Alfa Laval
Alfa Laval, world leader in heat transfer, centrifugal separation and fluid handling, is active in the areas of Energy, Marine, and Food & Water, offering its expertise, products, and service to a wide range of industries in some 100 countries. The company is committed to optimizing processes, creating responsible growth, and driving progress to support customers in achieving their business goals and sustainability targets.
Alfa Laval’s innovative technologies are dedicated to purifying, refining, and reusing materials, promoting more responsible use of natural resources. They contribute to improved energy efficiency and heat recovery, better water treatment, and reduced emissions. Thereby, Alfa Laval is not only accelerating success for its customers, but also for people and the planet. Making the world better, every day.
Alfa Laval has 16,700 employees. Annual sales in 2020 were SEK 41.5 billion (approx. EUR 4 billion). The company is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
This is Wallenius
Wallenius, with headquarter in Stockholm, has been a frontrunner in the global shipping industry since 1934. The company offers a complete and sustainable shipping service – from innovative design and newbuilding to ship management.
Wallenius was an early adopter of a zero-emissions target in shipping. With a long-term perspective and an integrated way of working, operational feedback is used to enhance performance and optimize the design of next generation of vessels. As a result, Wallenius designs high efficiency vessels with minimum fuel consumption. The vision is to lead the way towards truly sustainable shipping.
Wallenius developed the Oceanbird concept in co-operation with KTH and SSPA in the wPCC (wind Powered Car-Carrier) project. The project is active during 2019-2022 and is supported by the Swedish Transport Administration.