Test run of rotor sail on Viking Grace completed

Rotor sail was installed on Viking Grace in 2018

Finnish operator Viking Line has completed a three year test of a Norsepower rotor sail on its LNG- fueled cruise ferry Viking Grace. The ship was the first passenger vessel to be fitted with a rotor sail, which generates thrust utilizing the so-called Magnus effect, thus reducing the vessel’s need for propulsion force.

With the trial completed, the 24 meter high and 4 meter diameter rotor sail will be removed during Viking Grace‘s next service period.

Viking Line says it wants to continue testing new climate-smart solutions on its vessels. The new Viking Glory has already been equipped for the possible use of a rotor sail.

“Rotor sail technology is a promising and ambitious step towards more environmentally-friendly maritime transport. It is important to develop this kind of solution, and we certainly want to be involved in finding new ways to make Baltic Sea transport more climate-smart. Flettner rotor technology is very interesting. Our partnership with Norsepower has been enriching and has expanded our views,” says Johanna Boijer-Svahnström, senior vice president of Corporate Communications at Viking Line.

Norsepower’s fully automated system detects situations in which wind conditions are favorable for the operation of a rotor sail. The system then starts up the sail automatically, without the user needing to do anything. Norsepower’s rotor sail has been installed on four other vessels in addition to Viking Grace, including Scandline’s ferry M/V Köpenhamn, which runs between Germany and Denmark, and the tanker Maersk Pelican.

”Test results from the Viking Grace project, which were validated by independent parties, led to many new rotor sail deliveries, and our operations are growing rapidly,” says Tuomas Riski, Norsepower’s CEO. “The rotor sails that have been optimized for new vessels could potentially achieve fuel savings of up to 20%. Our rotor sail technology is already available as a solution enabling significantly lower emissions in maritime transport.”