bound4blue Installs Wind Propulsion System on KCC’s Vessel Newbuild
Wind propulsion company bound4blue has completed the installation of two suction sails on a newbuild vessel for Klaveness Combination Carriers (KCC).
The two 24-metre eSAILs were installed on the MV Baltazar at New Yangzi Shipbuilding in China, with the vessel expected to begin operations in the third quarter of 2026.
The project marks the company’s first installation of suction sails manufactured locally in China and is among the early applications of the technology on combination carriers.
“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,” said José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO and co-founder of bound4blue.
The company said the sails are designed to generate thrust by accelerating airflow over an aerodynamic surface, helping to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
The installation follows previous projects with shipowners including Louis Dreyfus Company, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Odfjell, Maersk Tankers, Marflet Marine and BW Epic Kosan.
