Swiss marine power company WinGD is set to integrate hybrid power and energy systems on a quartet of 113,600 dwt wind-assisted tankers to be built by China’s Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry for the UK-headquartered shipping player Union Maritime (UML).
Per WinGD, this is the inaugural contract by which the company’s X-EL Integrated Energy solution will be deployed along with wind-assisted propulsion systems. As disclosed, the Swiss technology player will be in charge of configuring the hybrid power and installing a shaft generator for the main engines, together with the X-EL energy management system.
As elaborated, the way the solution works is by using the power margin of the main engine, instead of the auxiliary ones typically used to generate electricity onboard, thus offering what is described as “more fuel-efficient” energy production and flexibility in how power is managed across vessels.
By optimizing power and electrical distribution between the engine, the shaft generator in a power-take-out mode and the sails, WinGD’s X-EL system is anticipated to ‘enhance’ energy use in ‘extended’ ranges and various operating conditions, the technology player said.
“To maximise the energy savings from wind-assisted propulsion, operators need an energy management system that can optimise engine and electrical power in response to the available wind power,” highlighted Stefan Goranov, Head of Integrated Energy Solutions, WinGD.
Bhuvnesh Dogra, Union Maritime’s Head of Technical, further shared that the company’s goal was to build “the most energy-efficient vessels on the market”. To achieve this, UML’s representatives believe wind-assisted propulsion is ‘key’, in addition to managing the overall power consumption across the ship.
According to WinGD, its battery-hybrid power integration and sustainability service has been used by vessels in service since 2022. These include two pure car and truck carriers (PCTC) delivered to Japanese shipping giant Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) in May 2023.
London-based Union Maritime at present owns a fleet of around 64 vessels, the majority of which are tankers and bulk carriers. Per the company’s data, UML anticipates welcoming another 47 units, unless additional orders are placed in the interim, with handovers staggered between 2025 and 2028.
With environmental regulations getting tighter and the maritime industry sailing closer toward its net zero target, UML has repeatedly turned toward ‘advanced’ marine technologies, wind-power solutions primarily, in a bid to own an entirely eco-conscious fleet.
To remind, for instance, the company teamed up with compatriot design and engineering firm BAR Technologies at the beginning of June last year to deploy wind-assisted propulsion solutions on a total of 34 new ships, involving fourteen long-range 2 (LR2), 12 chemical and eight medium-range (MR) tankers.
Just weeks following this development, namely by the end of June, it was announced that UML had inked a contract with Finnish cleantech company Norsepower to equip its rotor sails onto four newbuilds being constructed in China at Fujian Southeast Shipbuilding and Wuhu Shipyard.
At the time, Norsepower divulged that eight more units would also be rotor sail-ready for easy retrofitting in the future.
