Wallenius Marine will retrofit its car carrier MV Way Forward with two Oceanbird wing sails in 2027, marking the company’s first commercial application of wind-assisted propulsion.
The 2024-built vessel is 200 metres long and can carry 6,500 cars. It is owned by Wallenius Lines and operates under a long-term charter to Volkswagen Konzernlogistik.
The two rigid wing sails are being assembled at Oceanbird’s facility in Landskrona, Sweden. They will feature a tilting system that allows the sails to be lowered when required, reducing air draft and improving manoeuvrability in port.
MV Way Forward and its sister vessel Future Way were designed by Knud E. Hansen with several measures aimed at reducing energy consumption. These include a hydrodynamically optimised hull, a streamlined superstructure, lightweight steel construction and a cargo layout designed to support efficient loading and reduce the need for ballast water.
The vessels are equipped with multi-fuel machinery capable of operating on LNG, LBG, diesel and synthetic diesel. The wing sails are expected to further improve energy efficiency while providing operational data on wind-assisted propulsion in commercial service.
The project follows Oceanbird’s first full-scale onboard installation. In June 2026, the company fitted a 46-metre-high and 14-metre-wide Wing 560 sail to Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s car carrier MV Tirranna. Sea trials were completed successfully, with performance data due to be independently verified later this year.
The Way Forward project will be Oceanbird’s first installation involving multiple wing sails. The company says the experience will help evaluate the technology in routine commercial operations and support the development of future wind-assisted vessels.
