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MOL Develops Innovative Designs for Wind-Assisted LNG Carriers

wind-assisted propulsion
The innovative design with the forward bridge permits four rigid sails to optimize the design (MOL)

Published Sep 8, 2025 9:45 PM by The Maritime Executive


Mitsui O.S.K. Lines continues to work to advance wind-assisted propulsion, building on the concepts after deploying its first rigid, retractable sail on a bulk carrier in October 2022. The company has previously committed to installing its “Wind Challenger” on 25 vessels by 2030 and 80 vessels by 2035.

Working with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Samsung Heavy Industries, and Lloyd’s Register as the classification society, they developed innovative concepts for an LNG carrier that could achieve, they project, up to 30 percent fuel saving per voyage and 15 to 20 percent annually. The company previously released a design developed with Hanwha Ocean for a conventional LNG carrier with wind sails, but now has completed preliminary designs for an innovative vessel with four of the rigid sails.

A key element of the two designs moves the bridge toward the bow of the vessel to enable the increase from two to four rigid sails that would rise to a maximum height of approximately 160 feet (48 meters) in a three-tier design. It permits the design to optimize the placement of the sails and maximize the fuel efficiency gains. The ships would be between 938 feet (287 meters) and 951 feet (290 meters) in length, and each has a capacity of 174,000 cbm.

The Wind Challenger, a rigid sail system capable of automatic extension, retraction, and rotation. The first installation was on a 100,000 dwt coal carrier, Shofu Maru, and MOL reported it was able to reduce daily fuel consumption by up to 17 percent, equating to 5 to 8 percent per voyage on average on its first seven roundtrips to Japan from Australia, Indonesia, and North America. A second vessel was fitted with the sail, to be followed by nine additional vessels. The sail is made of fiber-reinforced plastic.

MOL reports that comprehensive risk assessments were undertaken for the new designs in collaboration with the shipyards, the classification society, and flag states. The assessments covered the sail arrangement, visibility impact, emergency operation procedures, and other safety measures. In addition, safety evaluations were conducted in collaboration with the respective flag states. 

The new vessel design developed with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries earned AiP from the Marshall Islands, while the vessel design jointly developed with Samsung Heavy Industries received AiP from Liberia. 

Having been awarded the AiP for the two designs, MOL reports detailed sign work for actual construction is currently underway.