UK-based rotor sail provider Anemoi Marine Technologies has completed the installation of five rotor sails onboard Asyad’s Sohar Max, a 400,000 dwt very large ore carrier (VLOC), chartered by Brazilian mining giant Vale.
Sohar Max is a first generation Valemax, built in 2012 in China’s Rongsheng shipyard.
The rotor sails were retrofitted onboard Sohar Max at the COSCO Zhoushan shipyard in China, in October.
Anemoi also installed its bespoke folding deployment system, which will enable the sails to be folded from vertical to mitigate any impacts on the vessel’s cargo handling operations.
The company Anemoi claims that – with the installation of the rotor sails – it is expected that Sohar Max will be able to reduce its fuel consumption by up to 6% and cut carbon emissions by up to 3,000 tonnes annually.
Sohar Max has just completed a voyage to Tubarao, during which the rotor sail test period began, and testing will continue on future voyages.
In October this year, Vale announced it is also set to install Anemoi’s rotor sails onboard the 400,000 dwt VLOC NSU Tubarao, which is owned by NS United Kaiun Kaisha.
The project is due for completion in September 2025.
Video credit: Anemoi Marine Technologies
