Norsepower Oy Ltd., which provides auxiliary wind propulsion for ships, said its Rotor Sail Solution has received the first-ever type approval design certificate granted to an auxiliary wind propulsion system onboard a commercial ship.
The type approval from DNV GL was issued in February 2019 after a design assessment of Norsepower’s 30- x 5-m Rotor Sail, two of which have been installed onboard the Maersk Pelican LR2 tanker. The certification means that vessels operating Norsepower’s Rotor Sail Solution are technically capable of safely navigating ‘all operational and environmental situations’.
Norsepower’s Rotor Sail Solution is installed on three vessels and has achieved more than 35,000 hours in operation, reportedly saving more than 4,500 tons of CO2 in the process. According to the company, the solution has delivered independently verified fuel savings with potential of up to 20%.