(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
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.
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