en.Wedoany.com Reported - Lloyd's Register (LR), South Korea's K Shipbuilding, the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry, and Spanish suction sail developer bound4blue (b4b) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the design of a 50,000 deadweight tonnage (DWT) medium-range (MR) tanker equipped with a wind-assisted propulsion system (WAPS).

The MoU was signed this week at Posidonia. Under the agreement, the partners will jointly assess technical and regulatory issues related to the design, including compliance with classification society rules and IMO requirements. The project aims to reduce uncertainty in adopting WAPS technology in future tanker designs by monitoring performance, safety, and regulatory compliance. The statement noted that the combination of the four parties' skill sets will help establish a "structured pathway."

Daniel Mann, Chief Commercial Officer of bound4blue, expressed delight in collaborating with K Shipbuilding, Lloyd's Register, and the Liberian Registry on this joint development project. He believes that wind propulsion is becoming an important component of future-oriented ship design for shipyards, particularly in the MR tanker segment. By bringing their experience and expertise to the project, they can help define how to integrate the eSAIL system into newbuild MR tanker designs in a safe, practical, and commercially competitive manner.

Alberto Pérez, Head of Maritime Commercial Markets at Lloyd's Register, noted that the agreement reflects LR's ongoing focus on achieving maritime decarbonization through practical, scalable solutions. By supporting the development of next-generation tanker designs, LR is helping shipowners and operators transition to low-carbon operations while maintaining commercial viability.

Wind power has already been adopted by some companies, including Maersk Tankers, which retrofitted five vessels, and London-based Union Maritime, which installed systems on newbuilds. Other shipowners adopting WAPS technology in the tanker sector include Eastern Pacific and Marflet Marine.

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