bound4blue has completed the second installation in a five-ship programme with Maersk Tankers, fitting four 24-metre eSAIL® suction sails onboard Maersk Tahiti in China.
The installation is part of a wider agreement covering 20 units across five medium-range tankers, marking the company’s largest deployment of suction sail technology to date.
The system is designed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions through wind-assisted propulsion, supporting compliance with tightening maritime decarbonisation regulations.
José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO and Co-founder of bound4blue, said: “The agreement with Maersk Tankers reflects the wider scaling up of wind power adoption across the industry. Wind, and particularly suction sail technology, delivers a massive advantage in both environmental and commercial contexts, and appreciation of this reality is blossoming.
“It marks an opportunity for us, of course, but more than that, it demonstrates a chance for forward-thinking owners to simplify an increasingly complex regulatory and operating environment with proven technology and a free, and freely available, power source.”
READ: bound4blue, Maersk tankers advance wind propulsion
The eSAIL® units operate autonomously by generating aerodynamic lift along a vertical surface, delivering reported efficiencies significantly above traditional rigid sail designs.
The technology is increasingly being deployed as part of broader fleet decarbonisation strategies.
Wind-assisted propulsion is gaining regulatory and commercial traction, with incentives under FuelEU Maritime and contributions to EEDI/EEXI compliance frameworks, alongside reductions in EU ETS exposure.
A growing number of shipping companies, including Louis Dreyfus Company, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Odfjell, Klaveness Combination Carriers, and BW Epic Kosan, have already adopted or trialled similar technologies.
The latest installation in China highlights the industrial scaling of wind-assisted solutions, supported by expanding manufacturing and service networks in Asia.
Bermúdez stated: “As this new delivery proves yet again, practical, scalable decarbonisation doesn’t have to be a pipe dream anymore; it can be a reality. We’d encourage other ambitious owners to investigate the potential of wind power, and especially suction sail technology, today.”
For more information:
bound4blue – https://bound4blue.com/
