Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has received the Global Technology Technical Achievement Award from Lloyd’s Register (LR) at the classification society’s 4th Global LNG Forum, held in Houston, US, in recognition of the Japanese shipowner’s work on wind-assisted propulsion technology for LNG carriers.

The award acknowledges MOL’s Wind Challenger programme — a wind-assisted propulsion system that uses automated hard sail technology integrated with conventional propulsion to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to LR, the technology has received class approval and has attracted attention across the LNG sector, with applications extending to large-scale LNG carrier designs.

MOL has also developed digital tools to support the system’s deployment, including fuel-saving visualisation systems, with independent performance verification carried out in collaboration with LR.

Constantinos Chaelis, Global Gas Segment Director at Lloyd’s Register, remarked: “The recognition of MOL’s work underlines the importance of collaboration and technical validation in translating innovation into operational progress. It also reflects LR’s commitment to enabling the safe uptake of new technologies across the gas shipping segment. As the industry looks to improve efficiency and reduce emissions, class has an increasingly critical role in verifying performance, managing risk and ensuring that emerging solutions can be implemented with confidence at scale.”

Yoshihiko Sugimoto, Chief Technical Officer at MOL, stated: “We are honoured to receive the Global Technology Technical Achievement Award at the LR Global LNG Forum. Wind Challenger represents MOL’s practical approach toward the decarbonisation of maritime transport through the utilisation of renewable wind energy. We believe that collaboration between shipowners, technology providers, and classification societies is essential to accelerate the safe and practical implementation of innovative solutions for the LNG shipping sector.”

Sugimoto added that MOL would “continue advancing the development and application of Wind Challenger together with transparent performance verification and operational experience accumulation.”

The award was presented by Panos Mitrou, Senior Vice President Shipping Strategy at Lloyd’s Register, to Yoshikazu Kondo, Senior Specialist (Offshore Oil & Gas Infrastructure Technology) at MOL (Europe Africa) Ltd.

The LR Global LNG Forum brought together senior stakeholders to discuss developments shaping the future of the LNG market and technology ecosystem. Panel discussions covered topics including securing a resilient LNG shipping fleet, asset repurposing and life extension, and transition pathways and methane slip reduction technologies.

Speaking at the forum, MOL representatives outlined how wind-assisted propulsion is moving from concept to operational deployment, offering a route to reduce emissions intensity in LNG shipping.