Sustainable Shipping: Vale Installs Rotor Sails on Massive Ore Carrier

The photo is from Anemoi Marine Technologies

The Brazilian mining giant Vale International S.A. has announced plans to equip another of its chartered vessels with wind-assisted propulsion technology. In agreement with the Japanese shipowner NS United Kaiun Kaisha, Ltd., they will install innovative rotor sails on the NSU Tubarao – a Very Large Ore Carrier (VLOC). 

"A Significant Step for Sustainable Shipping"

The installation is scheduled for September 2025 and is expected to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime sector. The 400,000 DWT “Valemax” vessel, NSU Tubarao, will be fitted with five-rotor sails supplied by Anemoi Marine. Each rotor sail will measure 35 meters in height and five meters in diameter. Collectively, they are expected to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 12 percent.

As reported by Anemoi Marine, CEO Kim Diederichsen emphasized:

"The installation of Anemoi’s Rotor Sails on NSU TUBARAO, one of the largest vessels in the global fleet, marks another significant step forward for sustainable shipping."

He further stated:

"It's heartening to see industry leaders like NS United and Vale embracing innovative solutions to meet maritime’s environmental challenges. This latest project once again underscores the importance of collaboration in driving maritime decarbonization."

Part of the Sustainability Agenda

The initiative aligns with Vale's broader goal to reduce emissions. The company is targeting a 15% cut in the scope 3 emissions by 2035, including shipping emissions.

Vale has already fitted several vessels with wind-assisted technology, including the 200,000 DWT Camellia Dream. The capsize bulker was retrofitted with two rotor sails, making it the first vessel of its size class to be retrofitted with this technology.

In 2021, the company also equipped the newly constructed VLOC Sea Zhoushan with five tilting rotor sails. In addition, plans are underway to install five cylindrical folding sails on the 400,00 dwt VLOC Sohar Max, according to gCaptain.

The NSU Tubarao

The 361-meter-long NSU Tubarao was delivered in 2020 and has been used to transport iron ore from Brazil to Japan. The ship's deep-sea routes provide optimal conditions for using wind-assisted propulsion, similar to many other large ore carriers in Vale's fleet.