Flettner rotors to help propel ships is nothing new but have got a renaissance in the last decade or so. It is not intended as sole power source, but to reduce fuel consumption and emission.
Here is an article about maybe the most well known ship with Flettner rotors, the E-ship 1:
Not Rotor sails but MOL is building a Bulk carrier with a retractable sail:
Anybody care to comment on the view from the bridge when the sail is up?
Tiltable rotor sail has been developed to suite ships exposed to height restrictions on their sailings:
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/norsepower-unveils-first-tiltable-rotor-sail-installation-with-sea-cargo-agreement/
Looks like Rotor Sail may become more common, even on large vessels (VLCC and VLOC):
A regular on the Norwegian West Coast, the SC Connector belonging to SeaTrans has become the largest sailing ship owned in Norway (Malta flag):
Shown here in the original configuration and new (in animation):
She is not a newbuilding, but a 24 year old ship that has been refitted to save fuel and the environment:
Maersk sells first product tanker fitted with Rotor sail:
She is now Indonesian.
Futuristic ship design with rotor sails:
But what will this ship be carrying??
Here is the answer:
https://www.ad.nl/dordrecht/dit-futuristische-zeilschip-vaart-straks-met-ultragevoelige-raketten-de-atlantische-oceaan-over~a75b8d25/?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.grootshipdesign.nl%2F
Saw the (ex) Maersk Pelican now Timberwolf, off Sydney Australia about six months ogo, hull is still Maersk blue.
What if the wind isn’t blowing the correct direction?
The Rotors are motor driven. If conditions aren’t suitable they can be turned off.
With the risk of inconvenience a few forum members.
Airbus is renewing it’s fleet of roro vessels: (In anticipation of taking more business from Boing?)
The nerd in me has to ask… for a US flagged rotor sail vessel, you’d have to have a sail/auxiliary sail endorsement on your license too right?
@jdcavo - thoughts?
Tongue and cheek question so here’s a response in kind. Since the rotors are purely mechanical components and require no special skills to operate, they belong to the engineering dept. Those idlers already know how to turn switches on and off and they’re always looking for excuses to hang out on the bridge anyway so I say let them fiddle with the rotors.
Actually I was serious. I can just see some overzealous LTJG MSO inspector get a burr up their ass if there’s nothing to guide them otherwise. (I’m lookin’ at you Sector Guam.)
So if these are going to not be considered “auxiliary sails,” then somebody needs to make that clear in the regs.
