Flettner Rotor Project Seeking Test Ship

The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI), a public-private partnership between global energy and engineering companies and the U.K. Government, is seeking partners for a new project which it hopes will deliver fuel savings of at least 10 percent for large shipping vessels.

The Flettner Rotor Supply, Install and Commission Project will deliver a full scale demonstrator of Flettner Rotor technology on a large ocean going vessel which the ETI intends to source for the demonstration phase.

Flettner rotors use a spinning cylinder to convert the force of the wind into thrust that helps propel the ship. Flettner sail rotors have been demonstrated on ships since the 1920s, with at least two vessels trialing the technology in recent years.  The ETI project will be the first demonstration on such a large vessel and will provide valuable insights into real world fuel savings and ease of operation.

The Expression of Interest aims to identify organizations capable of providing flettner rotor technology for a large internationally traded ship. The ETI intends to use the submissions to select a preferred technology provider capable of moving to the shaping phase of a full scale demonstration project.

Respondents will need to set out how their technology will deliver fuel savings of at least 10 percent and also how they would design, supply, install, commission, test and then support flettner rotor vessel installation. At sea testing of the performance of the flettner rotor installation will take place for at least one year after installation.

Andrew Scott , manager for the ETI’s Flettner Rotor Supply, Install and Commission Project said: “This is a project to design, develop and fit flettner rotor blades – effectively mechanical sails – which will then be demonstrated and tested at sea in real life conditions. Studies have shown that flettner blades could be beneficial in certain sea conditions around the world reducing fuel consumption in ships of between seven and 15 percent. 

“However, there has been insufficient full scale demonstration on a suitable marine vessel to prove the technology benefits. Successfully demonstrating this would make the technology more attractive to shipping companies and investors. The technology, if proved successful, could also be retrofitted to existing shipping fleets and play a significant role in reducing the fuel costs, so improving environmental impact.”

The Expression of Interest for the Flettner Rotor Supply and Fit Project will close on 15 April 2016. The deadline for notification of intention to submit a proposal is March 31, 2016.

The Expression of Interest can be downloaded here.