Wallenius has ordered two Oceanbird wing sails for installation on the car carrier Way Forward in 2027, marking the company’s first commercial use of wind-assisted propulsion, according to Wallenius Marine.
Way Forward already holds the highest A rating under the Carbon Intensity Indicator. The wing sails are expected to further improve the vessel’s energy efficiency while providing operational data on wind-assisted propulsion in commercial service.
Way Forward combines an optimised hull design with a dual-fuel propulsion system capable of operating on liquid and gaseous fuels, including biofuels.
Mattsson said the installation would provide insights into integrating wind propulsion into future vessel designs and daily operations, with the experience feeding into the development of more energy-efficient ships.
Volkswagen Konzernlogistik head of vehicle logistics overseas Peter Hörndlein said testing wing sails would contribute to the development of more sustainable vehicle logistics. He pointed to Way Forward’s dual-fuel propulsion system as an example of cooperation between shipping companies and customers on energy efficiency.
Oceanbird chief executive Amrit Kaur Bhullar said wind propulsion was gaining momentum among both shipowners and charterers. “We, at Oceanbird, are delighted to see wind propulsion solutions gaining momentum not only among shipowners, but also with charterers. Wallenius, one of our owners, has long been a pioneer in sustainable shipping, and we are proud to be installing our technology on one of their vessels,” Bhullar said.
Wallenius Marine develops and applies vessel technology and operational solutions within the Wallenius business.
Oceanbird develops wing-sail technology for wind-assisted ship propulsion.
Volkswagen Konzernlogistik is the Volkswagen organisation responsible for vehicle logistics operations.