BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 13. Japanese shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Chevron Shipping Company, a subsidiary of Chevron, have entered into a landmark agreement to install the Wind Challenger system, a hard sail wind-assisted propulsion technology, on a newbuild LNG carrier, Trend reports.
This groundbreaking vessel, currently under construction at Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje Shipyard in South Korea, is slated for delivery in 2026 and will be the world’s first LNG carrier to feature wind-assisted propulsion.
The 174,000-cubic-meter vessel, chartered by Chevron Asia Pacific Shipping, is designed to use the Wind Challenger’s innovative telescopic sails to cut fuel consumption and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. MOL recently received approval in principle (AiP) from ClassNK, a leading classification society, for the design of an LNG carrier with a wind-assisted system, and this agreement with Chevron marks the first actual application of the technology.
"We’re proud to partner with MOL in Wind Challenger’s industry-first LNG installation,” said Barbara Pickering, President of Chevron Shipping Company. “This is another example of using novel approaches in hard-to-abate sectors to reduce carbon intensity in our LNG fleet.”
The Wind Challenger system, which has already been deployed on two bulk carriers, features a robust design and various safety measures, including an enclosed navigation bridge and a lookout station on the vessel’s foredeck to enhance visibility. MOL explained that the system's placement is designed to minimize its impact on the LNG carrier's existing design and mooring arrangements, ensuring compatibility with shore infrastructure.
Takeshi Hashimoto, President and CEO of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, expressed his enthusiasm for expanding the Wind Challenger project to the LNG sector: "Achieving GHG reduction in the maritime transport of LNG, which is increasingly in demand worldwide as a transition fuel, is a very important mission for us. This project will undoubtedly be a significant milestone towards achieving ‘net zero GHG emissions by 2050,’ a goal we outlined in our 'Environmental Vision 2.2.'"
This partnership between MOL and Chevron represents a major step forward in the maritime industry's ongoing efforts to decarbonize, with both companies committed to exploring new technologies and sustainable practices for cleaner shipping.