[Splash/November 20, 2024] Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has rolled out its own design for an LNG carrier equipped with wind-assisted propulsion.

The South Korean shipbuilder has been granted approval in principle by the compatriot class society Korean Register and the Liberian Registry for the vessel that sports wing sail technology.

The unit has been designed with the wheelhouse positioned at its bow to address visibility issues, highlighted as a significant challenge for ships equipped with wind-assisted propulsion devices.

In addition, the ship would feature an air reduction device, which, when paired with the wing sails, can significantly improve fuel efficiency while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions, the shipbuilder said.

Commenting on the approval of the ship’s basic design Jang Hae-gi, head of SHI’s technology development unit, said: “Wind power is an important axis in achieving carbon neutrality in the shipbuilding industry,” adding that the company would continue developing other eco-friendly ships that utilise wind power.

Japanese shipping giant Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) became the first to receive a stamp of approval for a wind-assisted LNG ship earlier this year. The company will install two Wind Challenger rigid, telescopic sails developed jointly with Oshima Shipbuilding on an LNG carrier under construction at Hanhwa Ocean in South Korea, set for delivery in 2026.