Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS) and Norsepower have been granted approval in principle (AIP) by Lloyd's Register (LR) and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for a dual fuel very large crude carrier (VLCC) design that will be partly powered by rotor sail propulsion technology.
The 300,000DWT vessel will be fitted with six rotor sails. The system is fully automated and senses whenever the wind is strong enough to deliver fuel savings, at which point the rotors will start automatically.
Norsepower claims the rotor sail system could potentially reduce fuel consumption and emissions by as much as 10 per cent depending on the vessel's operating routes.
