Spanish company bound4blue has been selected to install a 22m high eSail onboard a newbuild multipurpose cargo vessel, ‘Na Pae E Hiro’, helping shipowner Sna Tuha’a Pae (SNA) reduce energy consumption by 10%.
Due for launch in 2026, the ship will mix green technology with an ambition to accelerate development of the remote Austral Islands, carrying both vital supplies and up to 200 tourists on its voyages from Tahiti to the South Pacific archipelago.
The contract marks the first time bound4blue’s solution has been selected for a newbuild vessel of this type. The eSail, designed for both retrofits and newbuilds, is a ‘suction sail’, employing an autonomous vertical sail with suction technology, dragging air over an aerodynamic profile. This process is said to generate seven times more lift than a conventional aircraft wing, resulting in high propulsive efficiency, while reducing the load on main engines, saving fuel and cutting emissions.
The 89m newbuild is now set for construction at Armon Shipyard in Vigo, Spain, with naval architecture delivered by Cotenaval (Spain) and consultancy by ECO (France). Financial support has been awarded through the French Government’s Appel à Manifestation d’intérêt initiative. In addition to the eSail, Na Pae E Hiro will be fitted with engines capable of running on biofuel or e-fuel, as soon as it becomes commercially available in the region.
At the end of 2023, bound4blue announced commercial agreements with LDC for the installation of four 26m eSails on the Louis Dreyfus Company chartered vessel Atlantic Orchard and three 22m units on the Ville de Bordeaux, used by Airbus to transport aircraft subassemblies. These new contracts showcase the system’s flexibility, delivering energy efficiency and cost savings for a broad range of vessels, regardless of their size and age.
David Ferrer, co-founder and CTO of bound4blue, said: “This is stand-out contract for bound4blue, marking the first time our technology has been chosen for a newbuild, after a very competitive international tender process. We believe this demonstrates the growing appreciation of our unique offer, and expertise, within the global marketplace. The eSail effectively provides a modern twist to the ancient tradition of harnessing the trade winds of the Southern Pacific. It allows this forward-thinking owner to achieve strong environmental and commercial benefits, taking advantage of an abundant renewable energy source to support a move away from fossil fuels.”
Image: Na Pae E Hiro (Credit: Cotenaval)
