HELSINKI - Norsepower Oy Ltd., the leading clean technology and engineering company pioneering modern auxiliary wind propulsion for the global maritime industry, today announced that its innovative Rotor Sail Solution has received the first-ever type approval design certificate granted to an auxiliary wind propulsion system onboard a commercial ship.

Two 30mx5m Norsepower Rotor Sails onboard the Maersk Pelican.
Two 30mx5m Norsepower Rotor Sails onboard the Maersk Pelican.

The type approval from leading ship classification society DNV GL was issued in February 2019 after a design assessment of Norsepower’s 30-metres by 5-metre Rotor Sail, two of which have been installed onboard the Maersk Pelican LR2 tanker. The landmark certification means that vessels operating Norsepower’s Rotor Sail Solution are technically capable of safely navigating ‘all operational and environmental situations’.

Norsepower’s Rotor Sail Solution is a proven, low-maintenance, easy to use, and reliable fuel-saving technology, supporting the decarbonisation of the shipping industry. It has already been installed on three vessels and has achieved over 35,000 hours in operation, saving more than 4,500 tonnes of CO2 in the process. The solution has delivered independently verified fuel savings with potential of up to 20%.

Commenting on the type approval, Norsepower CEO Tuomas Riski said: “We are very proud to be the first company to have type approval granted to an auxiliary wind propulsion system onboard a commercial ship. Having a type approval design certificate is very important to us. Clearly, it provides shipowners, operators, and charterers with a level of assurance when investing in the Rotor Sail Solution, but in the long term, it removes yet another hurdle to the realisation of renewable wind energy propulsion systems at a scale that supports shipping’s transformation to a low carbon transport sector.”

Seppo Liukkonen, Principal Surveyor, DNV GL (centre), presenting the first-ever type approval design certificate for onboard wind propulsion system, to Jarkko Väinämö, Norsepower CTO (right), and Otto Valkeisenmäki, Norsepower Certification Engineer (left).
Seppo Liukkonen, Principal Surveyor, DNV GL (centre), presenting the first-ever type approval design certificate for onboard wind propulsion system, to Jarkko Väinämö, Norsepower CTO (right), and Otto Valkeisenmäki, Norsepower Certification Engineer (left).

Geir Dugstad, Director of Ship Classification and Technical Director at DNV GL, added: “To help reduce shipping’s environmental impact we will need many different fuel and technology options, which is why we were very pleased that Norsepower asked us to be part of this innovative wind propulsion project.”

Norsepower is also proud to announce that in February 2019 it was crowned the winner of the 2018 International Quality Innovation Award, in recognition of its Rotor Sail Solution technology’s ability to demonstrate positive environmental contributions for the global maritime community. Norsepower CEO Tuomas Riski described the award as a “prestigious accolade” that Norsepower’s team were humbled to receive.