bound4blue: 'World's largest' suction sails installed on LDC juice carrier

Spanish automated wind-assisted propulsion system specialist bound4blue has installed what it claims to be “the world’s largest” suction sails on a vessel.

The installation saw four 26-meter high eSAILs fitted to the MV Atlantic Orchard.

Chartered by French merchant firm Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) and owned by Swedish shipping company Wisby Tankers, the specialized juice carrier had the sails fitted in a single stop already planned for the 10-year survey at Astander Shipyard, Santander, Spain, ensuring optimal efficiency. The four sails were installed in under a day per unit, as planned.

When sailing, the 2014-built vessel, which was originally a dry bulk vessel before undergoing a conversion in 2020, will now achieve simplified FuelEU Maritime compliance, taking advantage of the Wind Reward Factor, with further CII, EU ETS, and additional regulatory benefits, as per bound4blue.

Depending on trading routes, the vessel’s fuel consumption and emission savings are expected to reach around 10%.

José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO and Co-founder of bound4blue, said that the project showcased “the simplicity and versatility” of adopting wind propulsion systems (WPS) for an industry