New Airbus aircraft tests six rotor sails

The cargo ship Spirit of Toulouse is carrying out sea trials, fitted with six rotor sails from Norsepower. The ship is the first of three newbuilds that aircraft manufacturer Airbus has ordered from Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA). 

The shipping company aims to reduce fuel consumption and emissions through a combination of wind assistance and methanol-compatible engines.

The six rotor sails were fitted after the ship was built. According to LDA, this was a technically demanding task. During the mandatory sea trials, the parties involved are testing the ship and its propulsion system before the shipyard hands the vessel over to the owner. The ship will then make its maiden voyage to France.

The Spirit of Toulouse has a deadweight tonnage of 5,300 tonnes. The aircraft manufacturer intends to use the ships to transport aircraft parts by sea between France and the United States.

Synergy

The installation, carried out by the project team from the shipyard Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co., Ltd., at a coastal fitting-out site in Shanghai, makes the Spirit of Toulouse not only the world’s largest RoRo vessel equipped with wind propulsion, but also the vessel with the largest number of mechanical sails in the world. The six rotor sails, each measuring 35 m x 5 m, are combined with two dual-fuel main engines, supplemented by two dual-fuel generator sets, which can run on e-methanol, biomethanol or marine diesel oil.

Norsepower’s wind propulsion system is designed to work in synergy with the ship’s methanol propulsion system, thereby reducing fuel consumption and improving efficiency throughout the entire voyage, rather than functioning as a standalone addition.

Under favourable conditions, the rotor sails could save 15 to 20 per cent in fuel, according to previously announced expectations. It is not yet clear from the available information whether the trial voyages will confirm this saving.

Three ships

Now that all the sails have been installed, the rotor sails will be extensively tested during the ship’s forthcoming trial voyages to confirm their performance and seamless integration with the on-board systems. Further optimisation and fine-tuning will continue during the maiden voyage from China to France, to ensure that the technology realises its full operational potential.

The Spirit of Toulouse is the first of three sister ships. The other two ships, the Spirit of Mobile and the Spirit of Mirabel, are still under construction. According to the previously published schedule, the three ships are set to transport a combined total of 75 new aircraft per month.

Sources: an article by Joost Meily in *De Schuttevaer* (for subscribers only) and Norsepower.
Header photo: Norsepower

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