Bound4blue Installs eSAIL Wind Propulsion System on Multipurpose Vessel Na Hiro E Pae
Key Takeaways
- •Bound4blue has installed a 22-metre eSAIL wind propulsion system on the multipurpose vessel Na Hiro E Pae, marking the first known deployment of wind propulsion on a vessel of this type.
- •The vessel transports up to 200 passengers and 1,500 tonnes of cargo on routes between Tahiti and the Austral Islands, serving as a critical supply link for remote South Pacific communities.
- •The single eSAIL unit is projected to lower the vessel's energy consumption by approximately 10% and improve its EEDI and CII regulatory performance scores.
- •Bound4blue has now equipped 12 ships with eSAIL systems and holds an orderbook for six additional vessels.
- •The installation reflects a broader maritime industry trend toward wind-assisted propulsion as shipping companies seek to reduce fuel costs and comply with tightening IMO emissions regulations targeting net-zero by around 2050.
Spanish wind propulsion technology firm Bound4blue has successfully installed a 22-metre eSAIL wind propulsion system on the multipurpose vessel Na Hiro E Pae, marking the first known installation of a wind propulsion system on a multipurpose vessel of this type.
The announcement was made by Bound4blue in an emailed update on Tuesday. The eSAIL unit was installed at the Astilleros Armon shipyard in Vigo, Spain, before the newbuild was delivered to its operator, SNA Tuha'a Pae Shipping Company, based in French Polynesia.
Na Hiro E Pae currently operates on a route between Tahiti and the Austral Islands, transporting passengers, food supplies, and general cargo. The vessel has a capacity of up to 200 passengers and can carry up to 1,500 tonnes of cargo. For remote island communities across the South Pacific, such inter-island multipurpose vessels serve as critical lifelines, making fuel efficiency gains directly relevant to the affordability and reliability of essential supply runs.
According to Bound4blue, the single eSAIL system is expected to reduce the vessel's energy consumption by approximately 10%. The installation is also anticipated to improve the ship's Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) performance — two key regulatory metrics established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to measure and improve vessel energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Both metrics have grown in significance as the IMO pursues its revised GHG Strategy, which targets net-zero emissions from international shipping by or around 2050.
The eSAIL, developed by Bound4blue, is a rigid wind sail system that uses aerodynamic principles to generate forward thrust from wind, thereby reducing reliance on conventional fuel. The technology is part of a broader industry trend toward wind-assisted propulsion as shipping companies seek to lower fuel costs and meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations. A growing roster of wind-assisted propulsion technologies — including rotor sails and hard sails from firms such as Norsepower and BAR Technologies — has been gaining commercial traction on cargo vessels, tankers, and bulk carriers.
To date, Bound4blue has deployed eSAIL systems on 12 ships, with an additional six vessels in its orderbook.
Source: Ship & Bunker
