bound4blue has completed the installation of two 24-metre eSAILs® onboard Klaveness Combination Carriers (KCC)’s newbuild MV Baltazar, marking one of the earliest applications of suction sail technology on a combination carrier.
The installation was carried out at New Yangzi Shipbuilding in China and represents the latest CABU III vessel in KCC’s fleet programme. MV Baltazar is scheduled to enter service in Q3 2026.
The project also marks a milestone for bound4blue, with the system being installed on a vessel built in China for the first time, further extending the company’s manufacturing and deployment footprint in the region.
The eSAIL® system uses an internal fan to accelerate airflow across an aerodynamic surface, generating additional thrust and reducing engine load.
According to the company, the technology can deliver double-digit fuel savings while lowering greenhouse gas emissions and supporting compliance with regulatory frameworks including FuelEU Maritime, the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), EEDI/EEXI and CII.
READ: bound4blue, Maersk tankers advance wind propulsion
The installation follows a series of deployments across tanker, bulker and multipurpose segments with operators including Louis Dreyfus Company, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Odfjell, Maersk Tankers, Marflet Marine and BW Epic Kosan, reflecting growing uptake of wind-assisted propulsion across commercial shipping.
José Miguel Bermúdez, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of bound4blue, said: “This is a landmark project in many respects. It demonstrates how already efficient vessel designs can be optimised even further with free, accessible and readily available wind power, delivering environmental, commercial and regulatory advantages.
“As a company we are scaling up capabilities, in China and beyond, to help forward-thinking operators like KCC embrace wind simply, efficiently and with maximum benefits. We’d like to thank both them and New Yangzi Shipbuilding for their strong collaboration in what we see as an exciting development for the combination carrier segment.”
For more information:
bound4blue – https://bound4blue.com/
