bound4blue has claimed the business case for deploying its eSAIL wind propulsion technology with a new report highlighting significant fuel savings on the Ville de Bordeaux Ro-Ro vessel owned by Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA).
The vessel, which is chartered by Airbus, achieved an average daily fuel saving of 1.7 tonnes (t), with peaks up to 5.4t, after installing three 22m suction sail units in 2024.
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Bureau Veritas Solutions (BVS) assessed the savings over a year, validating bound4blue’s initial estimates and the results obtained by LDA using real-time measurements and actual weather conditions.
The savings reported for the Ville de Bordeaux, which transports Airbus subassemblies between Europe and the US, were attained without weather routing and did not reflect the regulatory benefits of wind propulsion.
bound4blue CTO David Ferrer said: “We’re thrilled to see this hard-working vessel making significant daily savings, with really exciting peak numbers that demonstrate huge potential.
“These results showcase how existing vessels – and not just newbuilds that have been designed for energy efficiency and wind propulsion – can harness this clean, renewable and accessible power source for transformative benefits.
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By GlobalDatabound4blue’s eSAILs produce significant lift, offering greater propulsive force and savings with less surface area compared to rigid sails. They facilitate compact installations and easier retrofitting on various vessel types.
The adaptability of eSAILs to different wind conditions and suitability for high-speed vessels make them a scalable solution for global shipping routes.
LDA Transport & Logistics managing director Mathieu Muzeau said: “It’s hugely rewarding to see the scale of savings enabled through this early adoption, while the performance achieved was also noteworthy – with a boost to vessel speed – as was the complete simplicity of operation. We look forward to many more tonnes of saved fuel, and reduced emissions, in the years to come.”
Recently, bound4blue received validation from DNV for its wind propulsion system force matrix calculation method.
This regulation-ready tool allows for the assessment of eSAIL technology’s performance, offering shipowners, designers, and shipyards a means to forecast fuel savings, emissions reductions, and return on investment without full-scale testing.
