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OceanWings Completes First Rigid Wingsail Retrofit on MARIA TOPIC
Topic, TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING and OceanWings have successfully completed the installation of OceanWings’ rigid tiltable wingsail aboard the Ultramax bulk carrier MARIA TOPIC, marking a significant milestone in the commercial deployment of wind-assisted propulsion technology for merchant shipping.
Retrofitted at TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING in Japan, the vessel has now returned to commercial service. The project demonstrates that rigid wingsail technology can be integrated into an existing operating merchant vessel, highlighting the potential of retrofit solutions to support the decarbonisation of the global shipping fleet.
By harnessing wind as an additional source of propulsion, the technology is designed to help vessels reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining their existing commercial operations. The successful completion of MARIA TOPIC also demonstrates the partners’ ability to manufacture, deliver and install Wind-Assisted Ship Propulsion (WASP) systems for the dry bulk sector.
For Topic, the project represents another step in its efforts to introduce practical technologies that can improve the environmental performance of its fleet. TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING, meanwhile, is leveraging its ship repair and retrofit expertise to integrate innovative propulsion solutions into existing vessels, showing how established shipyards can play a role in accelerating maritime decarbonisation.
The retrofit was carried out with support from the European WHISPER project (Wind Energy Harvesting for Ship Propulsion Assistance and Power), funded through the EU’s Horizon Europe programme. The project brings together 13 partners across six European countries to develop and validate modular retrofit solutions combining wind-assisted propulsion with renewable onboard energy systems.
OceanWings and Topic are expected to share the first operational insights from MARIA TOPIC during SMM Hamburg in September 2026, providing an initial view of how the vessel performs with the wingsail in commercial service.
The project illustrates the growing role of wind-assisted propulsion as a practical solution for reducing emissions from existing vessels, while highlighting the potential for innovative retrofit technologies to contribute to the broader transition towards more sustainable shipping.
SOURCE: OceanWings
