Klaveness Combination Carriers Takes Delivery of First Wind-Assisted Vessel, MV Baltazar
Key Takeaways
- •MV Baltazar is KCC's first vessel fitted with wind-assisted propulsion, featuring two Bound4blue eSAIL suction sails and an air lubrication system.
- •The vessel is designed for a combination trade route, carrying caustic soda solution to Australia and returning with dry bulk commodities to reduce empty ballast voyages.
- •KCC reports that MV Baltazar delivers approximately 35% lower carbon footprint and about 20% higher earnings capacity compared to the company's first-generation CABU vessels.
- •MV Baltazar is the third and final delivery in KCC's CABU III newbuilding programme, expanding the fleet to 19 combination carriers.
- •The adoption of wind-assisted propulsion aligns with growing maritime industry efforts to meet the IMO's goal of net-zero emissions from international shipping by or around 2050.
Norway's Klaveness Combination Carriers (KCC) has taken delivery of MV Baltazar, its first vessel equipped with wind-assisted propulsion, from China's New Yangzi Shipyard.
The vessel is fitted with two Bound4blue eSAIL suction sails and an air lubrication system, making it the inaugural ship in KCC's fleet to adopt wind-assisted propulsion technology. The announcement was made in an emailed statement from the company.
Wind-assisted propulsion has drawn growing interest across the maritime sector as shipping companies work toward the International Maritime Organization's greenhouse gas reduction targets, which include a goal of net-zero emissions from international shipping by or around 2050. Suction sail technology, such as Bound4blue's eSAIL system, uses a fan to optimize airflow over the sail surface, generating forward thrust from wind to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
MV Baltazar is specifically designed for a combination trade route, carrying caustic soda solution to Australia before returning with dry bulk commodities. This operational model significantly reduces the need for ballast voyages compared to conventional bulk carriers, which typically sail empty in one direction — a practice that has long represented both an economic inefficiency and an avoidable source of emissions in the dry bulk and chemical tanker segments.
According to KCC, the vessel delivers approximately a 35% lower carbon footprint and around 20% higher earnings capacity compared to the company's first-generation CABU vessels.
MV Baltazar represents the third and final delivery in KCC's CABU III newbuilding programme, joining sister ships MV Balder and MV Bastion. With this addition, KCC's fleet now comprises 19 combination carriers.
KCC operates combination carriers that can transport both wet and dry cargo, allowing the company to generate revenue on both legs of a voyage — a model designed to improve utilization and reduce emissions compared to specialized vessels that often sail empty in one direction. With the CABU III programme now complete, industry attention is likely to focus on the operational performance data from MV Baltazar's wind-assisted systems and whether KCC incorporates similar technology across additional vessels in its fleet.
