But not yesterday.
As far as most Dunedin residents were concerned, the arrival of the Oriental Aquamarine fuel tanker, docked at the city’s oil jetty, was just another vessel in the upper harbour.
But those who took a closer look may have spotted a large white panel lying on its side at the front of the vessel, which can be hydraulically lifted to become a wing sail.
Owned by South Korean global shipping and logistics company Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM), the 333m-long vessel is the country’s first medium-range fuel tanker with a wing sail — officially known as a wind-assisted propulsion system (WAPS).
The Oriental Aquamarine began operating the eco-friendly propulsion support system in January this year, and the company said it was expected to cut the vessel’s fuel consumption by up to 20%, depending on weather conditions and the route it was taking.
The company said the associated reduction in fuel use was intended to lower carbon dioxide emissions and help meet tightening environmental rules.
The performance of the wing sail will be monitored over a two-year period using operational data from the vessel.
If the results were positive, the company said it may extend the technology to other ships in its fleet.
Wind-assisted propulsion systems have attracted growing interest from shipping company owners in recent years, as a way to improve efficiency on existing vessels without requiring a change of fuel type.
The Oriental Aquamarine is scheduled to leave Dunedin tomorrow at 7.30am.
