Next generation VLCC features 4 rigid wing sails

New Aden is equipped with two pairs of new generation rigid wing sails

With IMO’s CII and EEXI regulations looming, more owners are opting to add sails of one kind or another to ships in a bid to reduce CO2 emissions. In one example of this trend, the New Aden, a next generation 307,000 dwt VLCC built by China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC), is fitted with four 40 meter high rigid wing sails.

Built for China Merchants Group, the 333 meter long vessel was built to China Classification Society (CCS) class.

Hailing the New Aden as “one of the most advanced VLCCs ever built in China,” CCS vice president Fan Qiang said the sails are expected to slash average fuel consumption by nearly 10% on the Middle East to the Far East route cutting an estimated 2,900 tons of CO2 emissions a year.

“The New Aden is an outstanding vessel which embraces the very latest design techniques as we work towards meeting the IMO GHG targets,” he said. “China Merchants, Dalian Shipbuilding’s R & D team and Guangwei Composite Materials have undertaken great work in developing the ship and this new generation of rigid wing sail. The sails have a combined surface of around 1,200 square meters and are a true innovation. They are made of a low weight carbon fiber composite supported by high strength corrosion resistance and a state-of-the-art autonomous control system. This system maximizes efficiency in complex operating conditions. The technology monitors power supply and self-inspects to ensure the hydraulic lifting and electric rotation is optimized to ensure peak performance.”

Fan said the New Aden sets new standards in VLCC performance.

“Together with China Merchants and Dailian Shipbuilding we have looked at every aspect of design to deliver the best possible result in fuel reduction, sailing performance in wind and waves through optimized hull design as well as safety and environmental protection,” he said. “The New Aden further meets the requirements of Harmonized Common Structural Rules (HCSR), the latest oxynitride and oxysulfide emission standards, the update phase requirements of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI). It further meets the EU Inventory of Hazardous Materials and ship recycling rules in line with the latest oil major requirements.”