Brands Hatch ship in Rotterdam Sept 2025 with WindWingsUnion Maritime, a leading provider of smart shipping solutions, has marked a significant milestone in the evolution of sustainable shipping with the maiden voyage of ‘Brands Hatch’, the first newbuild tanker to be fitted with
BAR Technologies’ WindWings. The vessel made her inaugural European port call in Rotterdam on 8 September, showcasing the tangible benefits of wind-assisted propulsion in commercial maritime operations.
The voyage demonstrated the effectiveness of Union Maritime’s investment in wind power, with Brands Hatch achieving substantial fuel savings while maintaining robust sailing speeds, even in adverse weather conditions. In optimal conditions, more than a third of the vessel’s propulsion was derived from wind power alone, despite being fully laden. This performance underscores the reliability and efficiency of WindWings technology over extended periods.
Union Maritime also employed sail-aware weather routing from
Ascenz Marorka, working closely with charterers to optimise the voyage. This approach delivered savings beyond those achievable with conventional routing methods. On global routes, each WindWing is expected to save an average of 1.5 tonnes of fuel per day. During a 24-hour period on this maiden voyage, Brands Hatch’s three WindWings replaced 12.8 tonnes of fuel — equating to 4.3 tonnes per wing — and avoided 13 tonnes of CO
2 emissions per wing per day. For six hours within that period, the vessel sustained peak performance equivalent to over 18 tonnes of fuel savings per day. These figures highlight the long-term potential of wind-assisted propulsion at scale.
The vessel leads Union Maritime’s roll-out of a pioneering fleet of wind-assisted ships, set to become the largest of its kind globally. A significant portion of this fleet will be equipped with WindWings, ensuring compliance with international environmental regulations through to 2030.
Milestone voyageTo support the delivery of these vessels, Union Maritime spearheaded Project AeroPower, a collaborative initiative involving Anglo-Eastern, Synergy, Atlantas Ship Management and BAR Technologies. The project aims to ensure the safe and seamless integration of wind propulsion systems across the global fleet.
Laurent Cadji, managing director at Union Maritime, said: “This milestone voyage with Brands Hatch is a proud moment for Union Maritime and a clear demonstration of our leadership in bringing innovative, sustainable solutions to global shipping. The early performance results highlight the real-world potential of wind-assisted propulsion, and we are pleased to be proving its commercial and environmental value at scale. Our collaboration with BAR Technologies on the deployment of WindWings is an important part of this journey, and together with our partners we are setting a new standard for efficiency, compliance and responsibility across the industry.”
John Cooper of BAR Technologies added: “The arrival of Brands Hatch in Europe really is a landmark moment, not just for us, but for everyone committed to driving maritime sustainability forward through wind propulsion. This is the first time a vessel built from the ground up with WindWings has completed a full ocean passage, proving that wind propulsion is ready for commercial-scale use. What makes this even more significant is the collaboration behind it.
“We are proud to have worked with Union Maritime and their partners to bring this to life, not only delivering innovation but delivering results. On her maiden voyage, Brands Hatch shows what we have believed from the start: that WindWings are a practical, scalable solution to shipping’s decarbonisation challenge. They were never just a concept for the future; they are delivering exactly as we always knew they would.”