London, United Kingdom | December 16, 2025 – Union Maritime, a major player in the marine transport of chemical products, has significantly bolstered its decarbonisation strategy by selecting Anemoi Marine Technologies’ Rotor Sails for two new 18,500 DWT chemical tankers. This move is a powerful statement of the shipowner’s intent to not just meet but actively surpass the stringent emissions reduction targets set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for 2030.
The installation of Anemoi’s wind-assisted ship propulsion (WASP) systems marks a pivotal step in maritime fuel efficiency, positioning the newbuilds as leading examples of ‘future-ready’ chemical tankers.
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Key Project Details & Strategic Alignment
The partnership between Anemoi Marine Technologies and Union Maritime involves several key components detailing the vessels, technology, and strategic partners involved in this major decarbonisation initiative.
- Shipowner:Union Maritime Limited
- Strategic Importance: A long-standing advocate of Wind-Assisted Ship Propulsion (WASP), demonstrating a core commitment to high-impact, sustainable innovation across its fleet.
- Technology Provider:Anemoi Marine Technologies (UK-based)
- Strategic Importance: The industry leader in Rotor Sail design, offering high-thrust, compact solutions that are proven to deliver substantial fuel savings.
- Vessels:Two 18,500 DWT Chemical Tankers (Newbuilds)
- Strategic Importance: These vessels are being constructed by Wuhu Shipyard Co in China and will feature a combination of efficiency technologies to ensure they are future-ready.
- Rotor Sails:Two units per vessel (3.5m diameter, 20.5m & 24m heights)
- Strategic Importance: The sails are EX-rated for safety on vessels carrying potentially explosive substances (e.g., chemicals), a critical requirement for tanker operations.
- Installation:Wuhu Shipyard, China, in early 2026
- Strategic Importance: The sails are being integrated from the outset, allowing for optimal performance engineering and maximizing efficiency gains across the vessel’s lifecycle.
- Consultancy:Odely Marine (China)
- Strategic Importance: Responsible for the crucial vessel and rotor sail integration design, ensuring seamless technical application and optimal performance.
IMO Compliance and Zero-Emission Fuel Mandates
This investment directly addresses two critical aspects of the IMO’s Revised GHG Strategy and its indicative 2030 checkpoints:
1. GHG Emission Reduction
The new vessels are specifically designed to surpass the IMO’s 2030 indicative checkpoint, which requires a reduction in total annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping by at least 20% (striving for 30%) compared to 2008 levels. Union Maritime’s strategy aims for a reduction exceeding this 20% benchmark, confirming their leadership in sustainability.
2. Zero/Near-Zero Emission Energy Uptake
The use of Rotor Sails—a form of wind-assisted propulsion—is a key enabler for Union Maritime to fulfill the IMO requirement that at least 5% (striving for 10%) of the energy used by international shipping by 2030 is sourced from zero- or near-zero-emission technologies, fuels, and/or energy sources. Wind power is classified as a zero-emission energy source, offering significant operational dividends.
The Technology: How Anemoi Rotor Sails Work
Anemoi’s Rotor Sails utilise the Magnus Effect—an aerodynamic phenomenon where a spinning cylinder creates a pressure differential when exposed to an airflow. This principle generates a powerful lift force, known as thrust, perpendicular to the wind direction, which significantly aids the vessel’s primary propulsion system.
- Higher Thrust: Anemoi’s patented Rotor Sail technology delivers significantly higher thrust per square metre than conventional sails, making it a compact, high-performance solution.
- Emissions and Fuel Savings: The auxiliary thrust from the sails reduces the load on the main engine, leading to fuel and associated emissions (CO₂, SOₓ, and NOₓ) reductions of 5% to 30% depending on the route, vessel type, and weather conditions.
- Adaptability: The systems are approved by leading classification societies and are designed for both newbuilds, as in this case, and retrofit applications. Anemoi also offers various deployment options (Fixed, Rail, and Folding) to suit different operational requirements.
Commitment to Innovation
Bhuvnesh Dogra, Chief Technical Officer of Union Maritime, underscored the significance of the project:
“Wind propulsion is central to Union Maritime’s sustainability roadmap and to our collaborative initiative, Project AeroPower, which demonstrates that commitment in action… We believe Anemoi’s Rotor Sail technology will be a powerful enabler of our goal to build the most energy-efficient fleet on the water.”
Clare Urmston, CEO of Anemoi, highlighted the forward-looking nature of the collaboration:
“Integrating Anemoi Rotor Sails from the outset showcases what can be achieved when innovative owners commit to wind-assisted propulsion. This project highlights the strong operational benefits of our technology and sets a new benchmark for efficient, future-ready chemical tankers.”
This partnership between Anemoi and Union Maritime is a clear indicator that wind-assisted propulsion has matured into a commercially viable and high-impact solution for shipowners aiming for aggressive decarbonisation and regulatory compliance.
About Union Maritime
Union Maritime is a leading provider of smart shipping solutions, specialising in the transportation of crude oil, chemicals, and refined petroleum products. Operating a modern fleet of over 100 vessels, Union Maritime serves key global trade routes, combining operational excellence with industry-leading decarbonisation efforts to define the future of sustainable shipping.
About Anemoi Marine Technologies
Anemoi Marine Technologies is a UK-based, globally operating provider of Rotor Sail wind propulsion systems for the commercial shipping industry. Their technology, which harnesses the Magnus Effect to generate auxiliary thrust, is designed to significantly reduce vessel fuel consumption and emissions (CO₂, SOₓ, and NOₓ) typically by 5% to 30%.
Key features of Anemoi’s solutions include:
- Flexible Deployment: Patented Rail and Folding systems are offered alongside fixed installations to ensure that cargo and port operations, as well as air-draft constraints, are not impacted.
- Safety Compliance: Anemoi supplies specialized EX-rated (explosion-rated) Rotor Sails for use on tankers and gas carriers, meeting the highest safety standards for vessels carrying potentially explosive substances.
- Regulatory Support: The technology provides a proven pathway for shipowners to achieve compliance with international regulations, including IMO CII, EEXI, and FuelEU Maritime, by enhancing a vessel’s overall energy efficiency.
Anemoi’s Rotor Sails are a proven, scalable, and automated technology, suitable for newbuilds and retrofits across a wide range of vessels including bulk carriers, tankers, and gas carriers, helping to accelerate the maritime industry’s transition to cleaner energy.
Source: Anemoi Marine Technologies