DSME Develops Taps into Wind Power to Cut Fuel Costs for Ships

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) announced on March 22 that it has obtained approval in principle (AIP) for the DSME rotor sail system from Norway's DNV, an international accredited registrar and classification society.

This rotor sail system can cut fuel costs as a cylindrical column (rotor sail) installed on a ship's deck rotates in the wind to secure additional power for the ship's propulsion.

DSME analyzed that applying this system will save energy by more than 5 percent based on the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as an energy saving assessment measure.

DSME expects the new eco-friendly and highly energy-efficient technology to help it win shipbuilding orders and help shipowners cut operating costs. It plans to produce the system on its own.

In 2019, DSME successfully delivered a ship loaded with an air lubrication system (ALS) of its own development. It is planning to sharpen its technological competitiveness by linking various fuel-saving devices such as the rotor sail system with DS4, the company’s autonomous operation optimization system.