Odfjell Places Repeat Order for Bound4blue Wind Propulsion System
Key Takeaways
- •Odfjell ordered four 22-meter eSAIL suction sails from Bound4blue for the 49,000-dwt tanker Bow Optima.
- •The retrofit is scheduled for installation in China in the second quarter of 2027.
- •The order comes after Bound4blue systems were installed on sister vessel Bow Olympus in March 2025.
- •Odfjell said Bow Olympus has delivered 15-20% energy savings in good wind conditions, equal to about 5 metric tons of bunker fuel and 15 tonnes of CO2 avoided daily.
- •Bow Optima was prepped for the retrofit during drydocking, including foundations, cabling and related deck equipment.
Shipping company Odfjell has placed a repeat order with wind propulsion technology firm Bound4blue for wind propulsion systems.
The order covers four 22 m eSAIL suction sails for the 49,000-dwt chemical tanker Bow Optima, with installation scheduled in China in Q2 2027, Bound4blue said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.
The order follows the installation of Bound4blue's suction sails on sister vessel Bow Olympus in March 2025. According to Odfjell, the vessel has recorded energy savings of 15-20% in good wind conditions, equivalent to around 5 mt of bunker fuel saved per day and approximately 15 tonnes of CO2 emissions avoided daily, giving the company operating data to assess the technology on a similar ship type before expanding the retrofit to another vessel.
Bow Optima has already been prepared for the retrofit, with foundations, cabling and related deck equipment installed during a scheduled drydocking.
The contract is Odfjell's first repeat order with Bound4blue.
The company has installed more than 140 energy-saving devices across its fleet over the past decade, reducing carbon intensity by more than 53% against the IMO's 2008 baseline. That broader retrofit track record highlights how shipping operators are combining multiple efficiency measures as they look to cut fuel use and emissions across existing tonnage, rather than relying on single-technology upgrades.
Bound4blue has deployed eSAIL systems on 13 ships, with five more in its order book.
