Classification society Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) has granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) to a 175,000 m³ wind-assisted LNG carrier concept developed by China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co. (DSIC). BV said the AiP confirms both the technical feasibility and the regulatory readiness of integrating wind-assisted propulsion into mainstream LNG carrier operations.
The concept combines an LNG dual-fuel propulsion plant with a sail-assist system, positioned as a practical and cost-controlled upgrade pathway for the global fleet in this LNGC size segment.
According to BV, the vessel is fitted with three next-generation foldable wing sails made from lightweight composite materials. Each sail can fold and rotate independently, while an onboard monitoring and control system continuously gathers route-specific wind data and automatically adjusts sail angles in real time to optimize performance.
On typical trading routes, the design is expected to deliver more than a 5% reduction in overall energy consumption and cut annual CO₂ emissions by about 2,900 tonnes. BV also noted the projected EEDI is around 58% below the baseline.
As part of the AiP process, BV carried out targeted assessments covering structural strength, material durability, and operational safety, and confirmed the claimed efficiency potential against current IMO-relevant standards and requirements.
