Mitsui O.S.K. Lines has announced an agreement with Tokyo LNG Tanker (a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo Gas Go to install two Wind Challenger hard-sail systems.
The Wind Challenger system was developed by MOL and Oshima Shipbuilding.
This is the world’s second Wind Challenger to be installed on an LNG carrier. Two bulk carriers equipped with the system have already been delivered and seven more are scheduled for delivery.
The first installation was aboard the vessel Shofu Maru, which held its maiden port of call in Newcastle, Australia.
The Shofu Maru is expected to have 5% less greenhouse gas emissions on a Japan-Australia voyage and about 8% less on a Japan-US voyage compared to a conventional ship of the same type.
The Wind Challenger system has a telescoping action, enabling the sail to be lowered at appropriate times.
Two sails will be installed on the LNG vessel. The sails will be up to 49 metres tall, will be about 15 metres wide, and are made out of fibre-reinforced plastic. The LNG vessel will have a capacity of up to 174k cubic metres, a length overall of just under 295 metres, and will be built by Geoje Shipyard of Hanwha Ocean Co, in South Korea.
