Danish shipping and logistics group A.P. Moller – Maersk will install a 35-metre rotor sail on an 8,700-TEU containership in what will be the first use of the technology on a container vessel, according to Anemoi Marine Technologies.
British wind-propulsion specialist Anemoi will design, manufacture and deliver a single fixed rotor sail for a vessel in Maersk’s 8,700-TEU Maersk Lima class.
The rotor will measure five metres in diameter and 35 metres in height. Installation is scheduled for mid-2027, with the system to be integrated with the vessel’s existing onboard equipment.
Maersk plans to test the technology during normal commercial operations, with the ship expected to operate on voyages across the North and South Atlantic.
Rotor sails use rotating cylinders to generate aerodynamic lift and provide additional thrust, reducing demand on a vessel’s main propulsion system and potentially lowering fuel consumption and emissions when operating conditions allow.
“Wind-assisted propulsion is one of several promising maritime solutions with the potential to improve vessel efficiency and reduce emissions,” said Ole Graa Jakobsen, Maersk’s head of fleet technology.
The pilot will give Maersk practical operating experience and allow the company to assess whether the technology has wider applications across its fleet and in container shipping.
A.P. Moller – Maersk is an integrated logistics company serving more than 100,000 customers in almost 130 countries and employing more than 100,000 people.
Anemoi Marine Technologies Ltd is a UK-based engineering research and development company incorporated in 2015 that designs and installs Flettner rotor sails for large commercial vessels.