As part of MOL’s strategy for decarbonisation, the shipping line has come up with an approved concept design for an LNG carrier with a wind-assisted propulsion system. The LNG carrier is being installed with a rigid sail technology known as Wind Challenger. The technology has earlier been tried on dry bulk carriers. The sail is made of rigid fiber-reinforced plastic and telescope with three panels. It is placed at the bow of the vessel and has shown positive results in lowering fuel consumption. MOL plans to have 25 vessels with the Wind Challenger by 2030 and 80 by 2035.
Working with South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, MOL developed the designs to add the Wind Challenger to a standard size 174,000 cubic meter LNG carrier. The plan calls for adding two of the rigid sails to a 938-foot (286-meter) newbuild LNG carrier from Hanwha Ocean. The sails would have a maximum height of 160 feet (49 meters) and be about 49 feet (15 meters) wide.
