Testing Begins for First Wing-Sail Installed on a Car Carrier

wind-assisted propulsion installed on car carrier — Car carrier Tirranna became the first in its class fitted for wind-assisted propulsion as Oceanbird deployed its first prototype on an in-service vessel (Oceanbird)

Oceanbird, a joint venture started by Alfa Laval and Wallenius Lines in December 2021, reached a key milestone as its prototype for a vessel received class certificates and completed its installation, extending wind-assisted propulsion for the first time to the car carrier segment.

The installation took place between June 21 and 24 at the Damen Shipyard in Rotterdam aboard Wallenius’ Tirranna. The vessel, which is 30,000 dwt and has a capacity to transport 7,620 cars, departed the yard on June 24. The harbor acceptance test and sea acceptance test have been completed as of July 1.

“This is a pivotal moment for us, and it is just the beginning,” said Oceanbird CEO, Amrit Bhullar. “We are very excited to see Wing560 perform at sea so we can prove the value of our efforts. This installation is the next step in our journey to create wind propulsion systems.”

The effort was launched as part of Wallenius’ vision to incorporate wind-propulsion to its global fleet, achieving up to 50 percent of its propulsion power. The company has also shared designs for a wind-powered car carrier and for how the rigid sail could be incorporated to other sectors of shipping.

As Oceanbird’s first onboard prototype, the sail will provide critical information to learn how the technology performs in practice. The installation is about two years after the company first announced the plan and a year after it demonstrated a sail on land.

The installation stands 46 meters (approximately 150 feet) tall and is 14 meters (46 feet) wide to contribute the surface area needed to provide thrust to such a large vessel. They report the prototype is designed to deliver around 10 percent energy efficiency gains. It also has sensors and control systems to gather data and make it a testbed to validate performance.

The installation is part of the EU-funded Orcelle Horizon project. It aims to develop a new generation of large RoRo vessels that get 50 percent of their power from wind,

Wallenius is calling this installation an important step in the commercialization of wind propulsion for its global fleet.

Oceanbird reports that a team will sail with?Tirranna?to collect performance data, monitor usage, and evaluate the wing’s efficiency under real operating conditions under a limited period.

The company says it is planning the next installation for the spring of 2027. The undisclosed vessel will receive two of its Wing 560s to expand the testing in operating conditions.