Topic, TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING and OceanWings complete rigid tiltable wingsail retrofit aboard the bulk carrier MARIA TOPIC

Topic shipbuilding company, TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING, and OceanWings have recently completed the retrofit of a rigid wingsail system onto the Ultramax bulk carrier MARIA TOPIC at their ship repair facility in Japan. The addition of the rigid tiltable wingsail, a wind-assisted propulsion technology, has allowed the vessel to return to commercial service and marks a significant milestone in the adoption of wind power for merchant shipping.

The successful integration of the rigid wingsail into an operating vessel demonstrates the potential for retrofit solutions to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions across the existing fleet. Topic, TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING, and OceanWings have all expressed their commitment to accelerating the decarbonization of commercial shipping through this project.

TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING's Managing Executive Officer, NAKAI Toshifumi, remarked on the company's expertise in integrating the new technology, stating that they are proud to have completed this landmark retrofit alongside OceanWings and Topic. The ultramax bulk carrier MARIA TOPIC will continue to sail under the leadership of Topic CEO Alex Albertini, who emphasized that the retrofit marks a continued investment in sustainable shipping technologies.

OceanWings CEO Emmanuel Schalit stated that the successful retrofit demonstrates their technology's effectiveness in commercial operation. The retrofit was completed as part of the European WHISPER project, funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe programme, which aims to develop and validate modular retrofit solutions combining wind-assisted propulsion and renewable onboard energy systems to accelerate the decarbonization of commercial shipping.