Anemoi Fits Out a Valemax Bulker With Five Rotor Sails
The push to cut shipping emissions through wind assisted propulsion continues to gain traction after Anemoi Marine completed the installation of five rotor sails on the very large ore carrier (VLOC) NSU Tubarao, a vessel operated by Brazilian mining giant Vale International.
Built by Japan Marine United, the 400,000 dwt Tubarao was delivered in 2020 and is among the largest bulk carriers in the world. The 361-meter vessel, which is owned by NS United Kaiun Kaisha and sails under the Liberian flag, has been retrofitted with five rotor sails measuring 35 meters tall and five meters in diameter.
The rotor sails are designed to maximize the Magnus effect, which provides lift and thrust to reduce engine propulsion demand in order to sail at a given speed. The wind-assisted propulsion technology is expected to reduce the ship’s fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by approximately six to 12 percent annually.
The installation was completed during a scheduled dry docking at the Chinese yard Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard. The rotor sails are deployed using a folding (tilting) mechanism for flexibility during cargo handling. It is the fourth VLOC installation on vessels chartered by Vale, all used primarily to transport iron ore from Brazil to Japan.
With the Tubarao retrofit, Anemoi has now surpassed 1.6 million dwt of vessel tonnage installed with its wind assisted propulsion technology.
During the scheduled dry docking, Tubarao was also equipped with a new shaft generator designed to enhance efficiency. The upgrade not only improves the vessel’s own energy performance but also optimizes fuel consumption when operating the rotor sails. Integrating the technology with the vessel’s shaft generator through advanced control system integration is designed to ensure seamless coordination between wind propulsion and onboard power supply.
“The scale of this project shows the market’s growing confidence in wind power as a crucial enabler of lower emissions shipping. Working with progressive partners, we are able to advance rotor sail technology and show how optimizing propulsion integration and navigation for wind assistance can deliver even greater benefits,” said Clare Urmston, Anemoi CEO.
Vale has been investing heavily in cutting-edge efficiency and environmental innovation in shipping as part of efforts to cut down on emissions. Since 2020, the company has announced investments of up to $6 billion to reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions by 33 percent by 2030 and committed to a 15 percent reduction in scope 3 emissions by 2035.
The company is the largest producer of iron ore, pellets and nickel, and also has operations in manganese, ferroalloys, copper, gold, silver, and cobalt. It operates second-generation Valemaxes with a capacity of 400,000 dwt and Guaibamaxes with a capacity of 325,000 dwt.
In July, the company signed 25-year charter agreements with Shandong Shipping for 10 new Guaibamax vessels measuring 340 meters in length and with a capacity of 325,000 tonnes. The vessels, which will be methanol dual fuel-powered, will also be equipped with five rotor sails each.