SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - HMM said Monday it has become the first South Korean shipping company to deploy a Wing Sail wind-assist propulsion system, as vessel operators seek to curb fuel costs and comply with tightening environmental rules.
Wind-assist propulsion systems harness wind power to supplement conventional engines and are regarded as an environmentally friendly technology. They are typically installed on vessels without deck cargo and have been adopted primarily by bulk carriers and tankers.
The Wing Sail, developed by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, generates lift in a manner similar to an aircraft wing. The structure stands about 30 meters high and 10 meters wide.
HMM installed the system on its 50,000-deadweight-ton MR tanker Oriental Aquamarine, which entered service with the technology on Jan. 5.
Depending on weather and operating conditions, the company said the system could cut fuel consumption by up to 20 percent. Lower fuel use also reduces carbon emissions, helping ships comply with an expanding set of environmental regulations, including the Carbon Intensity Indicator, greenhouse-gas fuel-intensity standards and the European Union’s FuelEU Maritime rules.
HMM said it plans to evaluate the system’s performance over the next two years using operational data. If the results meet expectations, the company may expand the technology across its bulk fleet.
An HMM official said the deployment adds another emissions-reduction measure to the company’s bulk fleet, following similar efforts in its container fleet. "This reflects our broader push to improve both the scale and efficiency of shipping operations," the official said.
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
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