Marflet Marine, a long-established Spanish private shipping company, has signed a contract with
Bound4blue for the installation of four 22m ‘eSAILs’ on the oil and chemical tanker Santiago I. Forming part of Marflet’s ongoing decarbonisation strategy, the installation will enable the ship to ‘dramatically reduce conventional fuel use, thereby optimising operating costs and cutting GHG emissions’.
The contract, which sees installation scheduled for mid-2025, makes Marflet the first Spanish merchant fleet owner to adopt a WAP (wind assisted propulsion) system and marks ‘a further landmark development’ for Bound4blue’s fully autonomous ‘eSAIL’ (suction sail) technology, which has recently been selected by other leading companies, including Eastern Pacific Shipping, Louis Dreyfus Co, and Odfjell. The ‘eSAIL’ works by dragging air across an aerodynamic surface to generate ‘exceptional propulsive efficiency’. Moreover, the system is said to be simple, robust, highly efficient, and require zero operational input from crew.
Bound4blue’s CEO José Miguel Bermúdez said: “This is a very significant contract for us, not only because Marflet is the first Spanish shipowner to join the wind revolution, but also because with this contract we consolidate the tanker segment; and having Marflet ‘on board’ signifies that more and more shipowners are realising the great potential of wind as a decarbonising force within the industry. As regulations become more stringent and stakeholders demand action to achieve environmental goals, solutions such as our ‘eSAILs’ allow owners to harness a natural, clean power source while also realising significant commercial benefits.
“Santiago I, which operates worldwide, will have four ‘model 2’ turnkey ‘eSAIL’ units fitted, with Spanish engineering specialist Cotenaval taking charge of tasks including designing the sail foundations and electrical installation. The easy installation of the units was a key selling point for the shipowner, minimising additional engineering work and limiting downtime when compared to competing emission reduction technologies.”
Bound4blue said that depending on vessel routing and operations, and based on detailed modelling, Santiago I should save around 10 and 15% of annual energy consumption via reduced main engine loads, adding that this technology is suitable for both newbuilds and retrofitting across most vessel types.