The Berge Olympus docked at the Port of Tubarão this week.
Charting a course to a greener future, diversified miner Vale’s Port of Tubarão, in Brazil, witnessed an historic moment on Wednesday, with the maiden voyage of the Berge Olympus.
This Newcastlemax bulk carrier, adapted and equipped with four large and rigid sails, is a big step forward in eco-friendly maritime technology.
Each BARTech WindWing has an aerodynamic span of 37.5 m in height and 20 m in width, harnessing the power of wind to reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
The Berge Olympus will save up to 6 t/d of fuel on an average worldwide route and, in the process, reduce CO2 emissions by about 19.5 t/d.
The project was developed by Berge Bulk, a shipowner contracted by Vale to transport iron-ore.
“We are committed to supporting shipowners with their ideas and projects that aim to achieve the IMO's [International Maritime Organisation’s] goals of decarbonising shipping," says Vale general manager for long-term contracts and operations, Michelle Gonzalez.
Vale, which created the Ecoshipping programme to support the shipping industry in reducing its emissions, is carrying out comprehensive studies to welcome vessels with different sail configurations into its ports.
Aspects of maneuvering, mooring and loading are evaluated so that the entire operation is carried out without interruption, and thus ensuring the high performance of its ports.
The IMO aims to reduce the carbon intensity of international shipping by at least 40% by 2030, compared to 2008 levels. The long-term goal is to reduce total greenhouse-gas emissions from international shipping by 50% by 2050, and to pursue efforts to phase them out entirely as soon as possible in this century.