Brazilian mining giant Vale International has agreed another deal to retrofit rotor sails on one of its chartered-in VLOCs.
Japanese owner NS United (NSU) will install the 35-metre-high sails on the 400,000-dwt NSU Tubarao (built 2020).
The wind propulsion system is being supplied by Anemoi Marine Technologies.
The ship has been on charter to Vale since September 2020. The retrofit is scheduled for September 2025.
A rotor sail uses the pressure difference generated around a cylinder by rotating a cylindrical sail installed on the deck.
The work is expected to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions from the bulker by between 6% and 12%.
“NSU has been actively working to make their vessels more efficient and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through the introduction of energy-saving devices such as rotor sails and by transitioning to ships powered by next-generation fuels,” the companies said.
Anemoi chief executive Kim Diederichsen said the agreement marked another significant step forward for sustainable shipping.
“It’s heartening to see industry leaders like NS United and Vale embracing innovative solutions to meet maritime’s environmental challenges,” he added.
Vale added it is committed to supporting the maritime industry in achieving the International Maritime Organization’s decarbonisation targets.
Since 2018, the company has been operating second-generation valemaxes and, since 2019, 325,000-dwt Guaibamaxes.
The group describes these ships as among the most efficient in the world.
In 2023, Vale agreed to carry out the biggest wind propulsion retrofit ever.
The company opted to install five rotor sails from Anemoi on the chartered, Asyad-owned, 400,000-dwt VLOC Sohar Max (built 2012).
