Teck and Oldendorff Carriers announce agreement to outfit bulk carrier with Flettner Rotor sails to reduce emissions.

Teck Resources Limited and Oldendorff Carriers  announced an agreement to use wind propulsion to further reduce CO₂ emissions in Teck’s supply chain. The joint investment will see the vessel Dietrich Oldendorf, which carries shipments of Teck steelmaking coal from the Port of Vancouver, outfitted with a Flettner Rotor system by mid-2024.

The Flettner Rotors generate lift from the wind, which is translated into additional thrust, thereby reducing fuel consumption on voyages across the Pacific. The addition of the rotors, along with other emission savings measures, is expected to reduce emissions by 55% resulting in an annual reduction of over 17,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, equal to removing 3,500 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles from the road. Since the November 2021 announcement of the start of Teck and Oldendorff’s joint efforts to reduce supply chain emissions, an estimated 115,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions have been eliminated, the equivalent of removing over 25,000 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles from the road.

“This innovative agreement to utilize wind power in shipping will reduce the carbon footprint in Teck’s supply chain and help advance the development of green transportation corridors,” said Jonathan Price, President and CEO, Teck. “Teck is collaborating with our customers and suppliers to reduce emissions in our supply chain as part of our climate strategy.”

Patrick Hutchins, CEO of Oldendorff Carriers added. “We are excited to harness the power of the wind in the transpacific dry bulk trade with a progressive partner like Teck. Our mutual determination to drive a decarbonized supply chain can only be realized through cooperation and collaboration. The energy transition has begun, and we are prepared to make the necessary joint investments that will provide a meaningful reduction of emissions. Forty years of historical weather data show that the trade between the Pacific Northwest and Asia is one of the best trade lanes for producing reliable wind energy.”

Manufactured by Norsepower, the rotors are constructed in part with recycled materials from approximately 342,000 plastic bottles.

Teck and Oldendorff are also currently piloting the use of biofuel on another bulk carrier as another means to lower emissions.