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 (Helsinki, Finland), a global provider of composite mechanical sails for large ships, announced two agreements in April and May for delivery of its Rotor Sails wind propulsion solutions — hollow, mast-like cylinders made of carbon and glass fiber composites that are rotated by an internal shaft (learn more here).

A commitment with  (BV, Paris, France) will see Norsepower’s Rotor Sails equipped to a series of methanol-ready oil and chemical tankers for Union Maritime. The first two vessels in this series, Buran and Ostro, were delivered in February and April 2025, respectively, following their construction at Fujian Southeast Shipbuilding. Union Maritime have two additional 18,500 DWT tankers currently under construction at Fujian Southeast Shipbuilding and two more at Wuhu Shipyard Co. Ltd, which will all be equipped with Norsepower Rotor Sails, with deliveries scheduled throughout 2025.

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These six vessels mark the first wave of a broader new build program for Union Maritime under BV class. More than 25 additional tankers are scheduled for delivery between 2026 and 2028, including a significant series at Wuhu Shipyard, with further vessels being built at other major Chinese shipyards. These vessels will either be delivered with wind propulsion systems installed or prepared for future integration, using technologies from various suppliers such as Norsepower.

By incorporating wind propulsion systems and methanol-ready configurations, Union Maritime is aiming to improve energy efficiency and support long-term emissions reduction across its expanding fleet.

Norsepower also secured an agreement in May 2025 to deliver six of its Rotor Sails for a fleet of newbuild tankers commissioned by (Hamburg, Germany). These newbuild vessels, designed by Ship Design & Consult GmbH (SDC), and constructed by Nantong Xiangyu Shipbuilding, will be delivered between 2026 and 2028 with the rotor sails installed.

The agreement covers six tankers across two distinct designs:

• Four 3,850 DWT chemical tankers, each to be equipped with one 20 × 4-meter Rotor Sails.
• Two 7,900 DWT chemical tankers, each to be equipped with one 28 ×4-meter Rotor Sail.

All six rotor sails will feature Norsepower’s EX-compliant design, certified for use on vessels transporting flammable cargoes and compliant with all class and safety requirements. These rotor sails will be manufactured at Norsepower’s dedicated factory in China, and delivered to the yard fully assembled, tested and ready for installation.

“This is a landmark agreement for Norsepower, not just because it involves two new customers and six vessels — but because it signals a fundamental shift in how wind propulsion is perceived in commercial shipping,” notes Heikki Pöntynen, CEO of Norsepower. “We are no longer talking about one-off pilot installations; we are now securing full-fleet commitments.”