MOL announces delivery of bulk carrier Green Winds

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. president & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto announced the completion of the Green Winds, a 63,896 DWT Ultramax bulk carrier equipped with the Wind Challenger hard sail wind power propulsion system. This innovative vessel was constructed at Oshima Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (president: Makoto Yamaguchi; headquarters: Saikai City, Nagasaki Prefecture) and will be operated by MOL Group company MOL Drybulk Ltd. (president & CEO: Koichi Hirata; headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo).

Green Winds is the second of nine MOL Group vessels to be equipped with the Wind Challenger, and it is the world’s first crane vessel outfitted with this technology. The Wind Challenger, developed by MOL and Oshima Shipbuilding, uses telescoping hard sails to convert wind energy into propulsive force. This technology is expected to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by about 7 percent-16 percent, depending on the ship’s route and other conditions.

Image: MOL’s Green Winds vessel

MOL has established the “MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2,” setting a target to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. Key strategies to achieve this target include the adoption of energy-saving technologies. MOL plans to launch 25 vessels equipped with the Wind Challenger by 2030 and 80 vessels by 2035.

The MOL Group is proactively expanding its environmentally friendly fleet, integrating wind propulsion technology like the Wind Challenger across various ship types. Through safe management and efficient operation, MOL aims to significantly reduce GHG emissions from its operations and contribute to the decarbonisation of society as a whole.

For more information visit www.mol.co.jp