bound4blue to install three suction sails on Ville de Bordeaux
Airbus will equip one of the vessels it uses to transport aircraft subassemblies, chartered from shipowner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, with a wind-assisted propulsion technology that captures wind energy to generate thrust and, therefore, delivers savings in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, according to the company's release.
The eSAIL, developed by the Spain-based firm bound4blue, creates as much as six to seven times more lift than a conventional rigid sail.
It consists of a sail-like vertical surface and an electric-powered air suction system that helps the airflow to re-adhere to the sail, generating additional lift and thereby reducing the load on the ship’s main engines.
Three 22-metre-high eSAILs will be fitted to the Ville de Bordeaux ahead of a six-month performance monitoring period starting early 2024. The Ville de Bordeaux regularly ferries A320 Family subassemblies from Europe to Mobile in the United States for final assembly.
Fitting the eSAILs on the Ville de Bordeaux supports Airbus’ commitment to halve CO2 emissions from its maritime operations by 2030, compared to a 2015 baseline. According to bound4blue estimations, these eSAILs® could deliver fuel and CO2 emissions savings of up to 560 tons and 1,800 tons respectively for this ship annually.
The installation of eSAILs on the Ville de Bordeaux is co-funded by the European Union.
For more than 170 years, the Louis Dreyfus Armateurs Group has been offering players in the maritime world innovative industrial solutions adapted to their needs and integrated services ranging from the design and management of ships to maritime operations in the fields of transport, logistics and marine industrial solutions. Present worldwide with more than 2,600 employees and around 100 vessels, LDA is a French family-owned group.
bound4blue develops automated wind-assisted propulsion systems as a turnkey solution for all shipowners and shipping companies seeking to reduce fuel costs and polluting emissions. bound4blue’s eSAIL® system is a validated solution for saving fuel and emissions, completely autonomous, with low maintenance and easy installation onboard, being the most cost-efficient wind propulsion technology today.
