CSL Group joint venture tests wind with sail-equipped cement carrier

An 8,600-dwt cement carrier has become the first commercial cargo ship equipped with sails to operate on the Great Lakes in decades.

Sunnanvik, a mechanical/pneumatic cement carrier, fitted with modern rig sails, began trading on the Great Lakes in April. Owned and operated by Eureka Shipping, a joint venture of CSL and SMT Shipping, the cement carrier is equipped with two Ventofoil sails from Dutch technology supplier Econowind. The sails are mounted on the deck of the ship in movable containers with reinforced deck foundations and can be deployed with the push of a button from the bridge to provide wind-assisted propulsion. The Ventofoil is a fully automated suction wing that creates propulsion power.

CSL Group said the sails are “part of its ongoing commitment to invest in and test cutting-edge eco-friendly technologies to reduce emissions.” The sails can be used to boost the ship’s speed in favourable conditions and lower emissions by saving on fuel.

Key learnings from the deployment of the Ventofoils on Sunnanvik will shape future projects. One of those future projects is a 123-m, diesel-electric cement carrier under construction at Holland Shipyards Group for Great Lakes operation. Expected to be delivered in H1 2025, the vessel will have a total cargo volume of 10,700 m³ divided between four holds that will allow it to carry four different cargoes.