Chemical Challenger, a chemical tanker operated by Chemship, has become the first vessel to receive the Green Award GHG Label for CO2 reduction using wind technology, in accordance with Green Award Foundation.
The 16,000-ton chemical tanker, managed by Fleet Management Limited in Hong Kong, recently underwent a groundbreaking retrofit, becoming the world’s first chemical tanker equipped with Econowind’s innovative VentoFoil wind-assisted propulsion system.
The installation of four 16-metre-high aluminium wind sails aims to reduce the vessel’s CO2 emissions by 10% annually.
Jan Fransen, executive director of Green Award Foundation, said: “We are thrilled to see the Chemical Challenger leading the way in the chemical tanker segment by embracing wind-assisted propulsion.
“This milestone aligns perfectly with our mission to promote sustainable shipping practices and recognise the frontrunners in the industry.”
Green Award’s GHG Label, introduced in 2022, recognises ships that have taken significant steps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through the use of renewable & advanced energy sources, zero-carbon fuels, or low-carbon fuels.
The Chemical Challenger has attained the CO2 Level 1 label, demonstrating its commitment to going beyond operational readiness in the adoption of sustainable technologies, as the Green Award Foundation claims in its release.
The VentoFoil system, developed by Dutch company Econowind, uses smart vacuum technology to quintuple the force of the wind, creating a wind surface area equivalent to a sail measuring 30 by 30 metres.
“By harnessing the power of the wind, the Chemical Challenger is expected to reduce its annual CO2 emissions by approximately 850 tons, equivalent to the yearly emissions of over 500 passenger cars,” Green Award Foundation added.
Source: Green Award, news release can be found here.
