bound4blue scores first LPG contract with unique non-explosion proof eSAIL® solution for BWEK

• Contract for 24 metre suction sail marks bound4blue’s first LPG carrier agreement and first deal with BW Epic Kosan (BWEK), an affiliated company of BW Group.
• Specialised eSAIL® technology allows for simple, safe and cost-effective non-explosion proof installation.

September 9, Barcelona: BW Epic Kosan (BWEK), a world leader in LPG, petrochemicals and speciality gas transportation, has signed an agreement with bound4blue for the installation of a 24 metre tall eSAIL® suction sail on the 2007-buit Helena Kosan. The autonomous wind propulsion system, to be installed in 2026, will allow BWEK to save fuel, cut emissions, reduce costs and simplify regulatory compliance, as the Singapore-based company invests to support industry decarbonisation goals.

Safe, simple sailing

“The tanker and LPG market is a key growth area for bound4blue, so it’s fantastic to agree a contract with the world leader in last-mile delivery of LPG, petrochemicals and other specialty gases” comments José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO & Co-founder, bound4blue. “Our mechanically simple solution delivers unique benefits for the segment, with the ability to position the sail’s maintenance door far above the deck and thus entirely remove the system from hazardous areas. This means non-explosion proof units can be installed easily on a vessel such as an LPG carrier, or any other tanker, negating the need for more costly, complex ATEX-proof solutions.”

“When this simplicity is added to the proven performance and benefits of the system, which is also compact in size due to its exceptional propulsive efficiency, you have a technology perfectly suited to help owners such as BWEK meet ambitious commercial and environmental goals. We’re thrilled to partner with the team for this exciting project.”

Market benefits

The DNV Type Approved eSAIL® works by dragging air across an aerodynamic surface to generate lift up to seven times greater than rigid sails of the same size, delivering greater power through smaller vessel footprints. In doing so, fuel use and emissions are reduced, easing compliance with regulations such as EU ETS, CII, FuelEU Maritime (with additional benefits through the wind reward factor) and the newly proposed IMO GFI framework.

Recent orders for eSAILs® have been placed by companies such as Maersk Tankers, Marflet Marine and Klaveness Combination Carriers, with new installations completed for Odfjell, Eastern Pacific Shipping and Louis Dreyfus Company.

Investing in the future

“We are committed to investing in proven technology that supports and enables our drive to reduce operational environmental footprints,” explains Jakob Bode, CEO, BWEK. “We have so far introduced a range of innovations including ultrasonic transducers, graphene-based propeller coatings and advanced weather routing to cut emissions and empower efficiencies, in addition to actively participating in projects to advance the adoption of green fuels such as ammonia.”

“Wind power was identified as having potential and, after careful studies, bound4blue’s eSAIL® was selected as the system of choice. We look forward to benefitting from its simplicity and efficacy in action on the Helena Kosan from 2026 onwards.”

Plug and play

The installation will be carried out in a simple two-step process, with preparatory work conducted at a scheduled dry docking in 2025 and a ‘plug and play’ fitting of the unit the following year.

bound4blue’s eSAILs® are suitable for both newbuilds and retrofitting across the vast majority of vessel segments, including, but not limited to, Tankers, Bulkers, Ro-Ros, Cruise ships, Ferries, Gas Carriers, and General Cargo vessels. The technology offers a typical payback period of less than five years.

bound4blue 

Cristina Aleixendri Muñoz | T. +34 938 33 73 92 | press@bound4blue.com

About bound4blue

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. It is suitable for Tankers, Bulkers, Ro-Ros, Cruise Ships, Ferries, Gas Carriers, and General Cargo vessels, regardless of their size or age. The company, founded in 2014 with a vocation clearly focused on the renewable energy sector in the maritime field, has its headquarters in Cantabria (Spain) and offices in Barcelona and Singapore. Since completing its first installation in 2021, the company has deployed its eSAIL® system on seven ships, with 12 more in its order book, representing more than 50 eSAILs®. Its growing client portfolio includes industry leaders such as Eastern Pacific Shipping, Maersk Tankers, Odfjell, Klaveness Combination Carriers, and Louis Dreyfus Company, among others.

For more information, visit: www.bound4blue.com

About BWEK

BW Epic Kosan Ltd. owns and operates the world’s largest fleet of smaller gas carriers providing seaborne services for the transportation of liquefied petroleum gas, petrochemicals and other speciality gases. The Company controls a fleet of around 50 vessels which serve the international supply chains of leading oil majors and commodity traders throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. The Company has significant commercial and technical capability across pressurised, semi-refrigerated, refrigerated gas and petrochemical transportation, and aims to deliver customers the best solution for their transportation needs, along with leading service and operational standards. The Company is headquartered in Singapore, with Copenhagen as a regional office alongside teams in Manila and Tokyo.

For more on BWEK, please visit www.bwek.com

This entity has received financial support co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Cantabria ERDF Programme 2021–2027, under the INNOVA grant scheme.