Wilson's bulker with wind-assisted propulsion begins service for aluminum producer

Norwegian shipping player Wilson has deployed its bulk carrier retrofitted wind-assisted propulsion for compatriot aluminum producer Hydro.

The 2012-built ship Wilson Eyde has been retrofitted with VentoFoils, vertical aircraft wings that convert wind into forward thrust of the ship, from Econowind in a bid to support Wilson’s target to cut emissions and deliver more energy-efficient solutions for its customers.

Following the retrofit, Wilson Eyde began service with its first call at Hydro’s production facility in Årdal on April 14 and now operates on a regular schedule. The vessel transports liquid pitch from suppliers in Europe to Hydro’s facilities in Norway. On the return leg, Wilson Eyde carries dry bulk cargo, maximizing utilization and reducing emissions per ton transported, the company informed.

In addition to wind-assisted propulsion, the ship is equipped with an AI-driven fuel optimization to reduce the overall amount of fuel required for operations.

“Most logistics operations today are powered by fossil energy sources. We are working to reduce the footprint of this link in the value chain by transferring tonnage from road to sea, developing greener shipping routes and using RoRo ships, new