The first wind-assisted powered vessel in a diverse fleet

On July 8th 2024, the bulk carrier NBA Magritte was successfully equipped with two Flatrack VentoFoil® units. The vessel is operated by NYK Bulkship (Atlantic) N.V., an NYK Group company. This marks the first time that such units have been installed on an NYK Group vessel (head office: Antwerp, Belgium, ‘NBAtlantic’).

NBAtlantic installed the VentoFoils on board the NBA Magritte, a vessel under long-term contract with Cargill. The two 16-meter-long VentoFoil Flatrack units can be easily activated or deactivated via a touch panel on the bridge, allowing the crew to operate them without any additional workload.

NBAtlantic will collect data on the propulsion generated by the VentoFoils. By combining this data with weather and ocean conditions, they can measure the effectiveness of the units. The insights gained will be used to promote energy-saving initiatives and technologies, such as wind power.

This initiative aligns with NYK’s long-term goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 for their oceangoing operations. The NYK Group has released a medium-term management plan that promotes growth strategies centered around ESG (Environment, Social, Governance), in line with their mission of ‘Bringing value to life’.

The first voyage with the VentoFoils has already begun. The installation was completed in Rotterdam, and the sails were activated. Following a successful demonstration, the NBA Magritte set sail for Brazil. Click here to see the first moments of the voyage with the VentoFoils installed.

Click here to read the full press release of NYK.