NORWAY’s Klaveness Combination Carriers has taken delivery of the second of three improved caustic soda/bulk carriers (CABUs) specified for the company’s Australian trade.
At the same time the third of the new class is being fitted with two new technology wind sails at the shipyard in China, prior to entering service in Q3 2026.
The first of the third-generation CABUs, Balder, was delivered by New Yangzi Shipbuilding in February and immediately set sail for Western Australia. The second, Bastion, was handed over on 9 April.
KCC says the ships are purpose-designed for trades with caustic soda solution to Australia and returning with dry bulk commodities, the vessels offer around 20% lower carbon footprint and approximately 20% higher earnings capacity than the first-generation CABU vessels they will ultimately replace.
Like her sister vessel, Bastion hosts a range of energy efficiency measures including an air lubrication system, a shaft generator, an EcoEGR fuel-optimized main engine, and a Mewis duct.
The vessel is also, to the extent possible, prepared for future retrofitting to enable the use of zero or near-zero (ZNZ) emission fuels, and are prepared for shore power, KCC says.
With the delivery of Bastion, KCC now operates a fleet of 18 combination carriers.
Meanwhile CABU third-gen number three, Baltazar, has had two 24-metre eSAILs® successfully fitted at New Yangzi by Spanish company bound4blue, marking the first installation of locally manufactured suction sails in China for bound4blue and among the first tanker/dry bulk vessels to harness suction sail technology.
The bound4blue company claims the unique suction sails are capable of delivering double digit fuel savings and compelling regulatory gains.
“This is a landmark project in many respects,” José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO and co-founder of bound4blue, said.
“It demonstrates how already efficient vessel designs can be optimised even further with free, accessible and readily available wind power, delivering environmental, commercial and regulatory advantages.”
The KCC project follows a series of high-profile eSAIL® contracts and installations with shipowners such as Louis Dreyfus Company, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Odfjell, Maersk Tankers, Marflet Marine, and BW Epic Kosan. It demonstrates bound4blue’s increasing global footprint, particularly in China where the business recently entered a number of strategic partnerships to build up production, logistics and service capacity, the company says.
The autonomous units work by using an internal fan system to accelerate airflow over an aerodynamically designed surface, generating forward thrust up to seven times greater than conventional rigid sails of the same size.
That clean power eases engine loads, cuts fuel consumption, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, while delivering ongoing benefits for compliance with regulatory frameworks such as FuelEU Maritime, via the Wind Reward Factor, EEDI/EEXI, CII and EU ETS.