Victoria Steamship supports new Rotor Sail design development suited to bulkers

(Posted on 02/02/24)

Victoria Steamship Company Ltd. is set to support Anemoi Marine Technologies Ltd. with the development and testing of a new 3.5 m diameter x 24.5 m high Rotor Sail after Anemoi was awarded a grant from the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC). As a key project partner, Victoria Steamship will assist by providing vital insights into the needs of stakeholders and vessel operators.

This project is part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 4 (CMDC4), funded by the UK Department for Transport (DfT) and delivered by Innovate UK. CMDC4 is part of the Department’s UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme, a £206m initiative focused on developing the technology necessary to decarbonise the UK domestic maritime sector.

Anemoi’s current Rotor Sail offering is 5m in diameter in variable heights and is currently being installed on larger vessels like Kamsarmax, Newcastlemax, VLOCs etc. The 3.5m Rotor Sails will be well suited for many types of mid-size vessels, such as Ultramax and Handysize bulk carriers.

As Victoria Steamship’s fleet includes numerous vessels in this category, the company will contribute technical know-how on bulk carrier operations, along with essential vessel data and feedback throughout. The approach will include evaluation of representative vessels, advice on conforming to vessel regulatory requirements, risk mitigation and confidence-building measures.

The project also covers market research, regulation and classification, and supply chain development, helping to provide even further confidence in the 3.5m Rotor Sail technology. These work streams will be completed by other project partners.

This news follows the recent announcement that Victoria Steamship facilitated the preparation of a scrubber and carbon capture system on Post-Panamax m/v Alkimos, set to be the first of its kind for a bulk carrier. This joint effort between technology provider Sinotech CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage), vessel manager Blue Planet Shipping and Victoria Steamship acting as agent, aspires to establish a groundbreaking standard in the realm of environmentally sustainable shipping.

Mr. Nikolas C Apodiacos, Managing Director of Blue Planet Shipping, expressed that projects such as these are “a symbol of our collective dedication to combatting global warming. We are not passive participants in this fight. We are leaders, pioneers, and advocates for a future where environmental consciousness is at the forefront of maritime endeavours.”

Victoria Steamship was established in the 1940s as Ship and Insurance Brokers and London Agents. However, the company also has a long history of supporting green initiatives to progress industry decarbonisation. For example, in 2018 Victoria Steamship assisted in the installation of Anemoi's first Rotor Sail system onboard the 64k Ultramax m/v Afros.