South Korea’s shipping giant HMM has installed a Wing Sail, a type of wind assisted propulsion system, on the 50,000-dwt MR tanker Oriental Aquamarine.
The Wing Sail uses wind power to generate additional thrust through aerodynamic lift, similar to an aircraft wing.
The shipping company said the system supports low-carbon vessel operations and is well suited for ships that do not carry deck cargo, such as bulk carriers and tankers.
HMM expects the technology to deliver fuel savings of around 5% to 20%, depending on operating conditions.
“Lower fuel consumption also reduces carbon emissions and supports compliance with key environmental regulations such as the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), Greenhouse Gas Fuel Intensity (GFI), and FuelEU Maritime,” reads the company’s statement.
Over the next two years, HMM plans to assess the performance of Wing Sail based on actual operational data. Subject to the results, the company plans to expand the Wing Sail installation across its entire bulk fleet.
An HMM spokesperson said, “Building on the low-emission technologies applied across our fleet, we will continue to advance the adoption of innovative solutions to further strengthen the long-term sustainability of our business.”
