Start of Testing the First Wing Sail on a Car Carrier

The company Oceanbird, a joint venture of Alfa Laval and Wallenius Lines, has reached an important milestone in the development of its vessel prototype, receiving class certificates and completing the installation of a wing sail, used for the first time in the car carrier segment.

The installation took place from June 21 to 24 at the Damen shipyard in Rotterdam aboard the Wallenius vessel "Tirranna." This vessel, with a displacement of 30,000 tons, can carry 7,620 cars and left the shipyard on June 24. Acceptance tests in port and at sea were completed on July 1.

"This is a key moment for us, and it’s just the beginning," said Oceanbird CEO Amrit Bhullar. "We are very excited to see how the Wing560 will perform at sea to prove the value of our efforts. This installation is the next step on our path to creating wind propulsion systems."

This project was launched as part of Wallenius’ vision to implement wind propulsion in its global fleet, which will allow for up to 50% power from the wind. The company has also presented designs for wind-powered car carriers and ways to integrate rigid sails into other sectors of shipping.

As the first prototype on board, the sail will provide critically important information on how the technology works in practice. The installation was completed about two years after the company first announced the plan, and a year after the sail was demonstrated on land.

The height of the installation is 46 meters (approximately 150 feet), and the width is 14 meters (46 feet), providing the necessary surface area to create thrust for such a large vessel. The prototype is reported to aim for about a 10% increase in energy efficiency. It is also equipped with sensors and control systems to collect data and serves as a test platform for performance verification.

The installation is part of the EU-funded Orcelle Horizon project, which aims to develop a new generation of large RoRo vessels that will receive 50% of their power from the wind.

Wallenius calls this installation an important step towards the commercialization of wind propulsion for its global fleet.

Oceanbird reports that the team will accompany the "Tirranna" on its voyage to collect performance data, monitor usage, and assess the effectiveness of the wing in real operational conditions for a limited time.

The company plans the next installation for spring 2027. An undisclosed vessel will receive two Wing 560s to expand testing in operational conditions.