Spanish wind assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) developer bound4blue has announced the completion of installation of two 24m eSails onboard the Klaveness Combination Carriers (KCC) newbuild ‘Baltazar’.
bound4blue’s suction sails, said to be capable of delivering double digit fuel savings and significant regulatory gains, were fitted onboard the latest of KCC’s CABU III projects at New Yangzi Shipbuilding in China. The Baltazar is expected to commence operations in Q3 2026.
The installation is considered a significant milestone for bound4blue, marking its first project featuring suction sails manufactured locally in China, and among the earliest adoptions of advanced WAPS technology on a combination carrier.
José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO and co-founder, bound4blue, said: “This is a landmark project in many respects. It demonstrates how already efficient vessel designs can be optimised even further with free, accessible and readily available wind power, delivering environmental, commercial and regulatory advantages. As a company we are scaling up capabilities, in China and beyond, to help forward-thinking operators like KCC embrace wind simply, efficiently and with maximum benefits. We’d like to thank both them and New Yangzi Shipbuilding for their strong collaboration in what we see as an exciting development for the combination carrier segment.”
The KCC project follows a series of eSail contracts and installations with shipowners such as Louis Dreyfus Company, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Odfjell, Maersk Tankers, Marflet Marine, and BW Epic Kosan. It is said to demonstrate bound4blue’s increasing global footprint, particularly in China where the business recently entered a number of strategic partnerships to build up production, logistics and service capacity.
The autonomous units work by using an internal fan system to accelerate airflow over an aerodynamically designed surface, generating forward thrust up to seven times greater than conventional rigid sails of the same size. That clean power is intended to ease engine loads, cut fuel consumption and reduce GHG emissions, while delivering ongoing benefits for compliance with regulatory frameworks such as FuelEU Maritime, via the Wind Reward Factor, EEDI/EEXI, CII and EU ETS.
Bermudez added: “We believe projects of this nature, with customers of the standing of KCC, clearly illustrate our ability to deliver reliable, market proven wind power technology at scale. Adoption and acceptance of wind as a viable, commercial and regulatory beneficial power source is accelerating and we’re committed to helping the industry take full advantage, as simply and cost effectively as possible.”
Image: KCC vessel ‘Baltazar’ (credit: bound4blue)
