Anemoi Marine Technologies has entered into a Joint Design Cooperation Agreement with Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Group for the design of Rotor Sails onboard two LNG carrier newbuildings.

The deal was signed on 26 October between Nick Contopoulos, Chief Operating Officer of Anemoi, and Wang Jiaying, Director of Research and Design Department from Hudong-Zhonghua, at DongHua Technology Building.

As part of the agreement, Anemoi will assess the feasibility and design of Rotor Sails for installation on LNG carriers and develop relevant specification requirements and designs that can be used for future installation projects in order to meet current and future environmental targets.

In addition, this project is hoped to boost the confidence of Rotor Sail technology for gas carrier owners and enable the smooth introduction of a new generation of efficient and environmentally friendly LNG carrier design.

“We are pleased to be working closely with Hundong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Group to develop practical designs and specifications for Rotor Sails onboard LNG carriers,” said Contopoulos.

“With more stringent requirements related to emissions from shipping coming into force, combined with a pressure to protect the environment, ship owners are seeking practical technology that can be easily installed onboard vessels to improve their energy efficiency. Anemoi has been developing industry leading wind propulsion technology for years and this new venture is the next step in Rotor Sails becoming a critical component of shipping’s decarbonisation journey.” he added.

Rotor Sails are ideal for modern LNG carriers due to the large amount of available deck space and limited impact on cargo operations. The use of Rotor Sails provided by Anemoi has increased in recent months as ship owners look to make significant fuel and emission savings from their vessels by harnessing renewable wind power during voyages.

In May, Anemoi announced it was on track to have a production capacity to install up to 50 Rotor Sails a year by the end of 2023 due to growing demand for the technology.