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Norsepower Oy Ltd, a Finnish marine engineering company, says it will bring to market an auxiliary wind propulsion solution to maximize cargo ship fuel efficiency.

Norsepower has developed the Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution, which is a completely new version of the Flettner rotor. This solution is designed to help cargo vessels "significantly" reduce fuel consumption, the company says.

The Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution uses new technology, advanced materials and leading-edge control system to reduce cargo ship fuel consumption. When the wind conditions are favorable, Norsepower Rotor Sails allow the main engines to be throttled back, saving fuel and reducing emissions while providing the power needed to maintain speed and voyage time. Rotor sails can be used with new vessels or they can be retrofitted to existing ships.

A prototype of the Norsepower Rotor Sail has been assembled at Norsepower’s test site in Naantali, Finland, and the land-based testing of the prototype has started. The prototype is due to be tested at sea on Bore Ltd.’s M/V Estraden later this year.

Tuomas Riski, CEO and partner of Norsepower Oy Ltd remarked: "The Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution is appropriate for retrofitting to over 20,000 vessels in the global merchant fleet. Norsepower aims at being the first company to have an industrially piloted and certified auxiliary wind propulsion product, which is delivered as a ready-made solution. The pilot project with Bore is a significant step on our path towards the market leadership of cargo vessel auxiliary wind propulsion systems."

Håkan Modig, CEO of Bore Ltd. stated: "Bore is in the forefront in using environmental and energy efficiency solutions for sustainable shipping. To pilot such a system on our vessel M/V Estraden is a natural step as we have supported the project from the start. Also, Bore is happy to encourage new entrepreneurs within this area."