Eastern Pacific Shipping and Spanish wind propulsion specialist bound4blue have completed their second joint eSAIL project, this time with the installation of three 22-metre sails on the MR tanker Pacific Sunstone at New Times Shipbuilding in China.
The delivery is a notable step for Eastern Pacific because it marks the company’s first newbuild project with bound4blue, following the earlier retrofit of eSAIL units on Pacific Sentinel. In both cases, the vessels were fitted with non-ATEX units placed outside ATEX zones on deck, a configuration made possible by the comparatively compact footprint of bound4blue’s system versus other wind-assist technologies.
For Pacific Sunstone, the installation was designed to fit smoothly into the vessel’s construction schedule, avoiding major delays or structural redesign. Foundations and electrical connections were integrated into the shipbuilding process in advance, allowing the sails—shipped from Spain—to be added through a plug-and-play connection once they arrived.
The project builds on operational evidence gathered from Pacific Sentinel. According to bound4blue, a six-month performance study carried out by Eastern Pacific Shipping and the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation found that the vessel achieved an average net power reduction of 8% and net fuel savings of 5.5%, despite what the company described as predominantly unfavourable winds during the assessment period.
Bound4blue says the economics of the technology remain increasingly attractive, with a typical payback period of less than five years. By reducing engine load, the eSAIL system can cut fuel use while also helping owners address tightening environmental regulations, including the EU Emissions Trading System.
Eastern Pacific Shipping decarbonisation manager Mirtcho Spassov said the company continues to test and deploy new technologies that support fleet decarbonisation. He said the operational practicality and performance demonstrated on Pacific Sentinel made it a logical decision to incorporate the system from the outset on Pacific Sunstone. He also described the collaboration with bound4blue and New Times Shipbuilding as smooth and efficient, allowing the vessel to be delivered on schedule while improving its long-term operating efficiency.
José Miguel Bermúdez, chief executive and co-founder of bound4blue, said newbuild projects are particularly significant because they allow wind propulsion benefits to be embedded into the vessel from day one. He thanked both Eastern Pacific and the shipyard for what he called a fast, efficient and seamless process.
