World's first hybrid wind and fuel powered chemical tanker sets sail from Rotterdam
CBSN
Rotterdam — The world's first chemical tanker ship fitted with massive rigid aluminum "sails" has left Rotterdam, its owner hoping to plot a route to bringing down the shipping industry's huge carbon footprint. The MT Chemical Challenger, a nearly 18,000-ton chemicals transporter, set sail from Antwerp for Istanbul on Friday and will undergo sea trials along the way.
Built in Japan and kitted out with four giant 52-foot-6 inch sails similar to aircraft wings, the tanker's owners hope to cut fuel consumption by 10 to 20 percent as the sails will allow the ship's captain to throttle back on the engine.
"As an avid sailor myself, I have been thinking for a long time how we can make our industry more sustainable," said Niels Grotz, chief executive of Chemship, which operates a fleet of chemical tanker vessels mainly between U.S. ports in the Gulf of Mexico and the eastern Mediterranean.
