Wallenius Marine has ordered two wing sails from Oceanbird for installation on its car carrier M/V Way Forward in 2027, marking the company's first commercial application of wind-assisted propulsion technology.

The vessel already holds a Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rating of A — the highest available under the International Maritime Organization's rating framework. The addition of wing sails is expected, according to the company, to further improve the vessel's energy efficiency and generate operational data on wind-assisted propulsion in commercial service.

Johan Mattsson, CEO of Wallenius Marine, said the initiative reflects the company's aim to translate emerging technologies into practical applications for day-to-day shipping operations. "We are convinced that wind propulsion will play an important role in the future of shipping. By fitting wing sails to the Way Forward, we can gain practical experience whilst taking another step towards reducing emissions from our fleet," Mattsson explained.

Way Forward is designed around an optimised hull and a dual-fuel propulsion system capable of operating on both liquid and gaseous fuels, including biofuels. The wing sails are intended to add another layer to the vessel's energy-efficiency strategy.

Mattsson added that the installation is expected to yield insights applicable to future vessel designs: "The lessons learned will support the development of even more energy-efficient ships."

The project has the backing of Volkswagen Konzernlogistik, which charters the vessel. Peter Hörndlein, Head of Vehicle Logistics Overseas at Volkswagen Konzernlogistik, said the partnership demonstrates how cargo owners and shipowners can collaborate on energy-efficiency solutions. "Way Forward — with her future-proof dual-fuel propulsion system — demonstrates how customers and shipping companies can work together to advance more energy-efficient solutions. By testing wing sails, we are contributing to the development of more sustainable vehicle logistics," Hörndlein noted.

Amrit Kaur Bhullar, CEO of Oceanbird, pointed to growing interest in wind propulsion from both shipowners and charterers as a positive trend. "We at Oceanbird are delighted to see wind propulsion solutions gaining momentum not only among shipowners, but also with charterers. Wallenius, one of our owners, has long been a pioneer in sustainable shipping, and we are proud to be installing our technology on one of their vessels," Bhullar remarked.

Wallenius Marine is part of the Soya Group, a Swedish conglomerate with operations spanning shipping and logistics, real estate, agriculture and sustainable technologies.