Tilting Wind Sail Installed on Theater Ship
A unique "theater vessel" used by La Fura dels Baus and the production company Elipsis Onboard has been fitted with a tiltable wind sail propulsion system, helping to reduce the vessel's environmental footprint.
bound4blue said its eSAIL system was installed on La Naumon during a recent docking at Spanish shipyard Astander.
The 18-meter-high rigid sail, equipped with a tilting mechanism and an autonomous control system, helps to reduce fuel usage and greenhouse gas emissions in line with the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) emissions reduction regulations, such as the upcoming EEXI and CII measures.
José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO of bound4blue, said, “Our rigid sails are quick and simple to install. Before the installation, a detailed vessel transformation project is performed and submitted to the class society and flag state for approval. Later, prior to the installation, the foundation and electrical work is completed. The installation can then be performed afloat, like in the case of La Naumon, during a scheduled drydocking or during any port call, as the operation takes less than a day.”
This installation, approved by DNV, has been done within the framework of the GREENing the Blue project, co-funded by the European Union. Astander has participated in the project leading all the installation phase of the sail and the German company Lanitz Aviation has tested new lightweight materials to be applied in the maritime sector.
Juan Luis Sánchez, director of Astander, said, "Reducing CO2 is one of the most ambitious goals for the maritime industry in upcoming years and installing this sail helps ships consume less fuel without losing competitive performance, and therefore, emit less. GREENing the BLUE is the first rigid sail installation project for Astander, and we can highlight that collaborating with bound4blue has been a great opportunity. It has been a great start and we hope to have the opportunity to work on more similar projects with other shipowners."
Next year, the ship is scheduled to begin a tour of Spanish ports to draw awareness to the need for action to combat climate change.
The suction sail, in addition to co-propelling La Naumon, will also be the main stage of the wind theatre. Carlus Padrissa, creative director of La Fura dels Baus, said, “I imagine the eSAIL slowly rising to the magical wind of music, pyrotechnics and light. A trapeze artist with the wings of a butterfly, representing the transformation of renewable and circular energy, will fly anchored at its tip. It will be an immersive and global show that will provoke change and ignite consciences."
