This year, a vessel with a state-of-the-art wind assistance system (WAPS) will be presented for the first time at SMM. The Dutch cargo vessel Eems Traveller (owned by Amasus) arrived at the Überseebrücke quay in Hamburg on 3 and 4 September. Two 17-metre eSAIL sails from bound4blue are installed on board, demonstrating how wind can be used to reduce costs and emissions, while also meeting new environmental standards.
The technology was installed on the vessel in two stages: first in the Netherlands during a scheduled refit, then in the port of Bilbao, where the sails were installed in just four hours. The autonomous eSAIL sails operate by generating aerodynamic thrust, significantly reducing fuel consumption and operating costs without the need for crew intervention.
At SMM, representatives from bound4blue and Amasus will present test data from the Eems Traveller and answer questions from interested parties. The vessel will provide a platform for discussions with ship owners, classification societies and other key industry players, and on the second day of the exhibition the founders of bound4blue will share their latest developments.