Union Maritime will fit rigid sails onto two LR2 tankers it is building in China.
The work to install WindWings from UK firm BAR Technologies will be done at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding.
The 114,000-dwt tankers will have three wings each, making them the greenest and most efficient LR2s in operation when they are delivered next year, the companies claim.
The wings are manufactured in partnership with CM Energy Tech.
Similar systems were fitted to a Pyxis Tankers product carrier and a Berge Bulk newcastlemax in the second half of last year. The sails are said to be able to save up to 1.5 tonnes of fuel and about five tonnes of CO2 per wing per day on typical global routes.
Union Maritime said the move demonstrates its “commitment to sustainability and innovation in the maritime industry”.
The UK shipowner has also invested in energy-saving technology, data collection and analysis, and low or zero-greenhouse gas sources, aiming to surpass the International Maritime Organization’s targets.
CM Energy Tech is listed on the Hong Kong stock market.
Its biggest shareholder is China Merchants Industry Holdings, which now manages the value chain of procurement and construction of WindWings and their installation throughout shipyards in Asia.
Union Maritime managing director Laurent Cadji said: “We are excited to work with BAR Technologies and [CM Energy Tech] on this project, which will enable us to reduce our fuel consumption and emissions significantly.”
He said WindWings are increasingly proven to enhance the performance and efficiency of vessels around the world.
CM Energy Tech executive director and president Zhan Huafeng said: “Our latest collaboration with BAR Technologies and Union Maritime on this exciting project marks yet another milestone for the adoption of wind propulsion technology in the shipping sector.”
The tanker and bulker owner has four other LR2s on order at Chinese yards, plus 18 chemical and product carriers being built in China and Japan.
