On November 20, Samsung Heavy Industries announced that its auxiliary wind-assisted liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers have received Approval-in-Principle (AiP) from Korean Register (KR) and the Liberian Bureau.
The LNG carrier will be equipped with wing sails, which utilize the pressure difference between the top and bottom surfaces to generate lift, thereby improving the vessel’s propulsion efficiency. At the same time, in order to solve the problem of navigational visibility, which is the biggest challenge for wind-assisted propulsion vessels, the vessel will have a pilothouse at the bow.
In addition, the vessel is equipped with “SAVER Wind”, a wind resistance reduction device jointly developed by Samsung Heavy Industries and Wing Sail, which, in combination with the wing sails, further reduces wind resistance, improves fuel efficiency, and effectively reduces carbon emissions.
Hae-ki Chang, Vice President of Technology Development Department at Samsung Heavy Industries, said, “Wind power is an endless source of clean energy, which is vital for achieving carbon neutrality in the shipbuilding and shipping industries. Samsung Heavy Industries will further focus on developing products and technologies that utilize wind power.”
A few months ago, Japan’s Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) became the first company in the world to receive an AiP for a wind-assisted LNG carrier.
The company plans to install two sets of Wind Challenger rigid retractable sails on an LNG carrier being built by Hanwha Ocean for delivery in 2026.The Wind Challenger sails are being developed by MOL in conjunction with Oshima Shipbuilding.