HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and BAR Technologies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic partnership focused on technical collaboration and commercial opportunities for the integration of BAR Technologies’ WindWings.
As a major shipbuilder, with its Ulsan yard recognised as the largest shipbuilding facility globally, HHI brings significant scale to the deployment of wind-assisted propulsion system (WAPS) technology.
The agreement establishes a joint engineering approach at the vessel design stage, enabling a more integrated and consistent application of WindWings in newbuild vessels. The two companies will collaborate on the technical development of interfacing the WindWings control system with HHI’s integrated vessel control system and developing performance verification methodologies to support scalable commercial deployment.
HHI’s collaboration with BAR Technologies reflects shared confidence in the performance and reliability of the three-element rigid wing sail design, and its potential to contribute to fuel efficiency and emissions reduction in commercial shipping. The collaboration is expected to support the expansion of WAPS across a broader range of vessel segments, including gas carriers, as shipowners seek viable solutions to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. Having delivered more than 5,000 vessels to shipowners across over 60 countries since its founding, HHI brings the scale and industry reach to support this expansion effectively across a wide range of vessel types.
The MoU has an initial term of three years and reflects a shared focus on deploying practical, lower-emission technologies at scale within the maritime sector. As regulatory and commercial pressures intensify, WAPS is becoming an increasingly important lever for shipowners looking to reduce fuel consumption and improve efficiency under tightening regulatory frameworks.
Hongryeul Ryu, Senior EVP and CTO, HD HHI, said: “Through this commercial and technical collaboration with BAR Technologies, and the joint development of WindWings, we aim to support the wider adoption and technical advancement of wind-assisted propulsion systems as a key element of next-generation maritime transport. This collaboration goes beyond technology integration; it represents a step toward fundamentally evolving the way ships are designed for the future. As a leading shipbuilder in the global maritime industry’s decarbonisation journey, we are committed to playing our part in driving this transition forward.”
This agreement builds on existing WindWings installations on retrofit and newbuild vessels, supporting wider integration into vessel design and creating a more scalable and standardised pathway for adoption, as shipowners increasingly look to wind, a fully scalable, fuel-free energy source to reduce emissions and meet tightening regulatory requirements.
John Cooper, BAR Technologies CEO, added: “We already have WindWings deployed across a significant number of newbuild vessels. This agreement is about taking that further and into new segments. Working with HHI allows us to move beyond existing orders and extend wind propulsion into vessel design, including in areas such as gas carriers. As fuel costs and regulatory pressure continue to build, the question for shipowners is no longer if they use wind, but how quickly. Partnering with world class shipyards like HHI is how wind propulsion moves from early adoption into mainstream shipbuilding.”
Image: WindWings installation on LR tanker (source: BAR Technologies)
