Anemoi Marine Technologies has reported that M/V Afros, the first bulk carrier fitted with its rotor sails, has completed a second intermediate survey after more than eight years in service.

The Lloyd’s Register inspection took place at Jiangsu Watts Energy & Engineering Co on 13 April. Anemoi stated that the four wind propulsion units remained structurally sound and free of operational issues.

The system was installed in January 2018 on the 64,000-dwt geared Ultramax bulk carrier, which is owned by Blue Planet Shipping.

Nick Contopoulos, co-founder and chief commercial officer of Anemoi, said: “The successful completion of M/V Afros’ second intermediate survey is a landmark moment not only for Anemoi, but for the wider wind propulsion sector. Independent confirmation from Lloyd's Register after more than eight years of operation demonstrates that Anemoi Rotor Sails are not simply an innovative decarbonisation concept, they are a durable, practical and commercially deployable technology for the global fleet. This level of long-term operational validation significantly reduces uncertainty for shipowners considering wind-assisted propulsion and reinforces the role Rotor Sails can play in improving vessel efficiency and supporting compliance with tightening emissions regulations.”

Across 154 voyages, M/V Afros has achieved 1,340 tonnes of fuel savings and 4,980 tonnes of well-to-wake CO₂ reductions, according to Anemoi. The installation has maintained more than 95% availability and completed about 200 port calls.

The rotor sails on M/V Afros measure 2 metres in diameter and 16 metres in height, making them smaller than the equipment used on Anemoi’s current projects. Scaled against the 5-metre-diameter and 35-metre-high units now deployed, the results equate to about 1.33 tonnes of fuel saved per sail per operating day, Anemoi stated.

The efficiency gains have reduced the ship’s IMO Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) rating by about 4.2%.

Nikos Apodiakos, managing director of Blue Planet Shipping, commented: “Since it entered service, M/V Afros has served 32 different charterers, which shows that its Rotor Sail system is welcomed by commercial customers and has been no hindrance to operating on the spot market. We are naturally pleased with the clean bill of health for the Rotor Sail system and positive about earnings and emissions saving potential for the remainder of the vessel's active life.”

The installation also introduced Anemoi’s longitudinal rail deployment system, which allows the rotor sails to be moved during cargo handling so the geared bulker retains cargo flexibility.

John Prosilias, lead client relationship manager at Lloyd’s Register, remarked: “One of the key issues with any maturing technology is its long-term durability and reliability in real-world conditions. We are therefore very satisfied to report no issues during our recent survey of the Rotor Sails on M/V Afros, which represents an important example of successful long-term operation of wind-assisted propulsion systems.”

Anemoi is a London-based wind propulsion technology firm providing systems for newbuild and retrofit projects. Its rotor sail technology is designed to cut fuel consumption and emissions, including CO₂, SOₓ and NOₓ.