"Operating Ships with Wind Power"... HMM Introduces 'Wing Sail' in Korea for the First Time

Fuel Savings of Up to 20% Expected

On January 12, HMM announced that it has introduced the eco-friendly navigation equipment 'Wing Sail,' which utilizes wind power to propel vessels, for the first time in Korea.

HMM has installed the Wing Sail, developed by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, on the 50,000-ton medium-range tanker 'Oriental Aquamarine' and commenced operations on January 5.

The Wing Sail is a wind-assisted propulsion device that generates lift like an aircraft by installing wings measuring 30 meters in height and 10 meters in width. It is suitable for vessels that do not carry cargo on deck, and its adoption is expanding mainly among bulk carriers and tankers.

Depending on operating conditions, devices such as the Wing Sail can achieve fuel savings of up to 5-20%. Reducing fuel consumption leads to lower carbon emissions, making it effective for responding to increasingly complex and diverse environmental regulations, including carbon intensity, greenhouse gas fuel intensity, and European maritime fuel regulations.

HMM plans to verify the effectiveness of the Wing Sail based on actual operational data over the next two years and, depending on the results, expand its adoption to the entire HMM bulk carrier fleet.

An HMM representative stated, "Following our container fleet, we have now introduced effective eco-friendly equipment to our bulk carrier fleet as well," adding, "We will continue to make multifaceted efforts to achieve both quantitative and qualitative growth of our fleet."

The 50,000-ton medium-sized tanker Oriental Aquamarine operated by HMM equipped with Wingsail. Provided by HMM