Anemoi Marine Technologies (Anemoi) has marked a major milestone for wind-assisted propulsion as M/V Afros, the world’s first bulk carrier fitted with Rotor Sails, successfully completed its second intermediate survey after more than eight years of continuous operation.
The survey, carried out by Lloyd’s Register at Jiangsu Watts Energy & Engineering Co on 13th April, confirmed that the vessel’s four Rotor Sails remain structurally sound and free of operational issues, providing independent verification of the long-term durability and reliability of Anemoi’s Rotor Sails over an extended operational lifecycle.
Installed in January 2018 on-board the 64,000 DWT geared Ultramax bulk carrier, owned by Blue Planet Shipping, the system has since provided eight years of real-world evidence that wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) can deliver sustained fuel savings, emissions reductions and high operational availability in everyday commercial service.
This milestone represents one of the most significant long-term operational proof points yet achieved in the WAPS sector, demonstrating that Rotor Sails can perform reliably across a vessel’s lifecycle while integrating seamlessly into standard trading patterns.
Nick Contopoulos, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Anemoi, said: “The successful completion of Afros’ second intermediate survey is a landmark moment not only for Anemoi, but for the wider wind propulsion sector. Independent confirmation from Lloyd’s Register after more than eight years of operation demonstrates that Anemoi Rotor Sails are not simply an innovative decarbonisation concept, they are a durable, practical and commercially deployable technology for the global fleet. This level of long-term operational validation significantly reduces uncertainty for shipowners considering wind-assisted propulsion and reinforces the role Rotor Sails can play in improving vessel efficiency and supporting compliance with tightening emissions regulations.”
Across 154 voyages, the Rotor Sails on the Afros have delivered 1,340 tonnes of fuel savings and 4,980 tonnes of well-to-wake CO₂ reductions, while maintaining greater than 95% operational availability since installation. The system has also completed about 200 port calls, demonstrating strong compatibility with commercial trading requirements and port operations.
These results are particularly significant given that the Rotor Sails installed on Afros were much smaller than the sails Anemoi deploys today, measuring just 2 metres in diameter and 16 metres in height. When scaled to the 5 metre diameter by 35 metre high Rotor Sails used on current projects, the Afros results equate to approximately 1.33 tonnes of fuel saved per sail per operating day, closely matching the performance being achieved on Anemoi’s latest installations. This strong correlation demonstrates that the savings proven on Afros scale reliably to larger commercial systems, providing further validation of Anemoi’s current Rotor Sail technology.
As a result of the efficiency gains achieved, Afros reduced its IMO Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) rating by approximately 4.2%, extending compliance with international energy efficiency requirements and enhancing the vessel’s regulatory profile.
Blue Planet Shipping Managing Director, Nikos Apodiakos, said: “Since it entered service, Afros has served 32 different charterers, which shows that its Rotor Sail system is welcomed by commercial customers and has been no hindrance to operating on the spot market. We are naturally pleased with the clean bill of health for the Rotor Sail system and positive about earnings and emissions saving potential for the remainder of the vessel’s active life.”
The Afros installation also pioneered Anemoi’s longitudinal rail deployment system, enabling the vessel’s Rotor Sails to be repositioned during cargo handling operations so that the geared bulk carrier retains full cargo flexibility. This deployment concept has since been adopted on current Anemoi projects, underlining the lasting relevance of the original Afros installation. The vessel has traded with 32 different charterers since entering service, confirming that the installation of Rotor Sails has created no barriers to spot market employment while improving vessel energy efficiency performance.
Lloyd’s Register Lead Client Relationship Manager, John Prosilias said: “One of the key issues with any maturing technology is its long-term durability and reliability in real-world conditions. We are therefore very satisfied to report no issues during our recent survey of the Rotor Sails on M/V Afros, which represents an important example of successful long-term operation of wind-assisted propulsion systems.”
With more than eight years of independently verified operational history, Afros now stands as one of the maritime industry’s clearest demonstrations that WAPS have moved beyond pilot-stage deployment into proven long-term commercial operation.
For shipowners pursuing decarbonisation, Afros provides proven evidence that Anemoi Rotor Sails deliver reliable long-term performance while supporting emissions compliance. This milestone reinforces Anemoi’s position as one of the few wind propulsion providers able to demonstrate verified commercial performance at scale, giving shipowners greater confidence as adoption accelerates across the global fleet.
Robban Assafina is now on WhatsApp channel. Click Here
