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The two new designs are for a membrane-type 174,000-cbm LNG carrier equipped with four units of Wind Challenger, which is a hard sail wind-assisted propulsion system.
The sails made of fiber-reinforced plastic will be up to 49 meters high and about 15 meters wide.
In addition, safety evaluations were conducted in collaboration with the respective flag states, according to MOL.
As a result, this new vessel design, one jointly developed with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has earned AiP from the Marshall Islands, and the other vessel design jointly developed with Samsung Heavy Industries earned AiP from Liberia.
MOL said that detailed design work for actual construction is currently underway.
Last year, MOL obtained AiP to install two Wind Challenger units on a conventional LNG carrier.
In the new vessel design, the bridge has been positioned toward the bow to enable both an increase in the number of Wind Challenger units and the optimization of their placement, thereby maximizing fuel efficiency gains, according to MOL-
Based on preliminary calculations, fuel saving is expected to reach up to approximately 30 percent per voyage with an average annual saving of 15-20 percent, MOL claims.
MOL’s large fleet of LNG tankers had 104 vessels as of the end of June this year.
The company expects its LNG carrier fleet to expand to 105 vessels by March 2026.
MOL’s fleet includes LNG carriers owned and/or operated by joint venture companies.
The company previously said it had about 30 LNG carriers on order.