Japanese shipowner Fairfield Maritime Japan has signed a long-term charter agreement with Finnish renewable fuels producer Neste for two wind-assisted medium-range (MR) oil and chemical tanker newbuilds.
The 50,000 dwt vessels will be built by South Korea‘s HD Hyundai, with deliveries scheduled for the first and second quarters of 2029.
The ships will be fitted with wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS), shore power connectivity where infrastructure is available, and will be designed for future conversion to methanol fuel.
The tankers will also be built to ice-class standards, allowing year-round access to Neste‘s Porvoo refinery in Finland with icebreaker assistance.
The agreement comes as shipowners increasingly adopt wind-assisted propulsion technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Recent projects include Capital Ship Management‘s wind-assisted MR tanker development with K Shipbuilding and Lloyd’s Register, while Dutch firm Econowind recently secured design approval for its suction wing technology.
