South Korea’s HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HMM have initiated a demonstration phase for the country’s first domestically developed wing sail designed for wind-assisted propulsion. This technology is part of HD KSOE’s strategy to enhance environmentally friendly ship designs. The wing sail has been installed on the product tanker Oriental Aquamarine, a 50,000 dwt vessel built in 2020 and owned by HMM since 2023. The ship, measuring 183 meters in length, is registered in Liberia.
Over the next two years, HMM plans to evaluate the wing sail’s performance using real operational data, with potential plans to implement the technology across its entire bulk fleet if results are favorable. The company anticipates fuel savings ranging from 5% to 20%, particularly for vessels like bulk carriers and tankers that do not carry deck cargo. HD KSOE received an Approval in Principle from DNV in 2021 for its wind-assisted technology and has conducted onshore demonstrations to verify structural safety and performance.
The installed wing sail on the Oriental Aquamarine stands 30 meters high and 10 meters wide, featuring auxiliary wings and a tilting function for enhanced efficiency and safety. Recent sea trials confirmed its operational capabilities, with inspections conducted by the Korean Register. The data collected during this demonstration will be analyzed to refine the technology for commercial applications.
Analysts predict that wind-assisted propulsion will see increasing adoption due to its low capital costs and potential for fuel and emissions savings. Installations are reportedly doubling each year, with nearly 100 large vessels expected to be equipped with this technology by the end of the year.
Share it now
