Launch of first Oceanbird wing sail

The Oceanbird company, formed three-and-a-half years ago as a joint venture between Alfa Laval and Wallenius Lines, has officially launched its first wing sail.

The rigid, 40-metre high and 14-metre-wide wing sail, Wing 560, unfolded its two segments and showed off a full rotation. Aside from being a new landmark in Landskrona, Southern Sweden, it will be an important site for crew training, customers visits and optimisation of the automation system.

The wing sail’s core is made of high strength steel, and the aerodynamic surface is a sandwich construction of glass fibre composites and 370,000 recycled plastic bottles. Using air pressure to push the vessel forward, one wing sail on an existing vessel is claimed to save up to 10% of fuel and emissions on optimal routes.

“This is truly a milestone. Together, we are advancing towards fossil free shipping” said Andreas Carlson, Sweden ́s Minister of Infrastructure and Housing at the inauguration.

“We had a clear mission: to prove that wind can once again play a significant role in powering ships,” said Magnus MackAldener, interim CEO & Head of R&D at Oceanbird. “After roughly three years of hard work and long days, we are standing here with the first prototype of the Wing 560 sail, ready to show it to you — to the world — and to take orders.”

The first wing sail will be permanently placed at the shipyard Oresund DryDocks in Landskrona, where also an identical, second wing sail is being assembled during the autumn. That will be installed on Wallenius Wilhelmsen ́s vessel Tirranna in the beginning of 2026.