Japanese giant Marubeni picks bound4blue’s suction sails to power its Panamax bulk carrier

Japanese giant Marubeni picks bound4blue’s suction sails to power its Panamax bulk carrier

• According to preliminary studies, bound4blue will install four 26-metre-high eSAILs® on the Crimson Kingdom.
• The Panamax bulk carrier vessel will be retrofitted in 2023/24 and is expected to be the largest suction sail installation in the world and the first Panamax bulk carrier using suction sails.
• Marubeni is fully committed to social and economic development and safeguarding the global environment by conducting fair and upright corporate activities, and this project is a clear example of that vision.

Barcelona, November 10th, 2022.

bound4blue and MMSL PTE. LTD., a wholly owned subsidiary of Marubeni Corporation based in Singapore, have signed an agreement to install in 2023/24 four suction sails on the Crimson Kingdom, being the first wind-assisted vessel owned by Marubeni.

According to the preliminary studies, the 229-meter length Panamax bulk carrier will be retrofitted with four 26-metre-high eSAILs®, expected to be the largest suction sails ever built and installed on a vessel. After the installation, the vessel will be operated by MaruKlav Management Inc., which is a Panamax Pool company jointly owned by Marubeni and Torvald Klaveness Group, a major shipping company in Norway.

The suction sails are expected to reduce the ship’s fuel costs and annual CO2 emissions by up to 20 percent in favorable trade routes, while improving at the same time the vessel’s EEXI and CII.

From left to right: Mr. José Miguel Bermúdez (CEO at bound4blue), Mr. Tomohiro Endo (Managing Director at MMSL PTE. LTD.), Mr. Yasutomo Miyake (General Manager – Ship Project Dept. at Marubeni Corporation), Mr. Michael Jorgensen (Managing Director at Maruklav Management Inc.)

“The installation on Crimson Kingdom will probe the potential of our suction sails on bulk carriers, a strategic segment for our company. This agreement with Marubeni will enable us to scale up our technology to the next level, installing our 26-metre units on a bulk carrier for the first time and giving us the opportunity to partner with one of the most important international shipowners”, commented José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO of bound4blue.

Mr. Yasutomo Miyake, General Manager, Ship Project Dept. of Marubeni says: “Marubeni is aspiring to become a Forerunner in Green Business, and we will continue to contribute on the reduction of GHG emissions and realization of a decarbonized society by actively participating in projects that represent a benefit for the environment. For that reason, we are partnering with bound4blue to install their suction sails on the Crimson Kingdom, due to the financial potential that their technology represents for our fleet while having a high decarbonisation impact.”

Contact information:
Cristina Aleixendri – bound4blue – T: +34 938 33 73 92 – Email: press@bound4blue.com
Iro Manioudaki – Oceanking – Email: i.manioudaki@oceanking.gr

Note to editors:
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. 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. During 2021, the company installed its eSAIL® system on two ships and has signed additional agreements with other shipowners like Amasus Shipping, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs and Marubeni Corporation to install the system on their fleets.

For more information, visit: www.bound4blue.com

About Marubeni Corporation

Marubeni Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries use their broad business networks, both within Japan and overseas, to conduct importing and exporting (including third country trading), as well as domestic business, encompassing a diverse range of business activities across wide-ranging fields including lifestyle, ICT business & logistics, food, agri business, forest products, chemicals, metals & mineral resources, energy, power, infrastructure project, aerospace & ship, finance, leasing & real estate business, construction, industrial machinery & mobility, next generation business development and next generation corporate development. Additionally, the Marubeni Group offers a variety of services, makes internal and external investments, and is involved in resource development throughout all of the above industries.For more information, visit: www.marubeni.com/en

About MMSL PTE. LTD.

Established since 2011, MMSL Pte Ltd is a shipping company owning a fleet of modern bulk carriers. These include Kamsarmax, Supramax and product tankers.

For more information, visit: www.mmsl.com.sg/