J-Power and Norsepower install wind propulsion system on cargo vessel

Japanese electric power company J-Power and Finnish clean tech firm Norsepower are collaborating to install a rotor sail on a dedicated coal carrier.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in equipping vessels to harness the power of the wind. What was once romanticised as a historic way to sail cargo across the world’s oceans has become a credible option for modern vessels, fuelled by incoming carbon reduction targets and high fuel prices.

It’s the first time a Norsepower rotor sail has been installed on a bulk vessel that is dedicated to coal cargo, and the second time that J-Power has installed a wind propulsion auxiliary system on a dedicated coal carrier. The installation will take place in Q3 2024.

The Norsepower rotor sail, which measures 24m high x 4m diameter, is a modernised version of the Flettner rotor. It uses the vessel’s electric power to rotate the cylinder-shaped rotors on the deck. These rotating sails use the wind to generate powerful thrust, resulting in the reduction of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by approximately 6-10 per cent in combination with the navigation optimisation system.

This is the second vessel for Tokyo-based shipping firm Iino Lines to be equipped with the Norsepower Rotor Sail. The company says it will continue actively promoting initiatives for clean marine transport services to become carbon neutral.

While the sail will help reduce emissions of the ship, it’s important to note that burning coal produces about 15 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. Carbon dioxide from coal use is responsible for about 40 per cent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally.