Odfjell to fit sails on four tanker newbuildings

Odfjell is moving to integrate wind-assisted propulsion across its fleet, confirming it will fit suction sails on four upcoming tanker newbuildings. The decision follows performance evaluations from an existing vessel in the fleet where, under optimal conditions, the technology delivered fuel consumption reductions of up to 40%.

CEO Harald Fotland stated that the company expects a stabilized annual fuel savings of approximately 10% per vessel once the technology is operational. By moving these systems from experimental pilots to series-fitted newbuildings, Odfjell is signaling a shift toward treating wind propulsion as a primary efficiency tool rather than a speculative secondary measure.

The broader implication for the tanker sector lies in the transition of suction sails from a niche decarbonization project to a standard capital expenditure item for new tonnage. This shift suggests that shipowners are beginning to view wind-assisted propulsion as a hedge against volatile bunker prices and tightening carbon regulations, rather than relying solely on engine-room optimization or alternative fuels to improve the EEDI and CII profiles of their ships.