Freight News, Logistics, Sea

HHI, BAR Technologies Partner on WindWings

[ June 4, 2026   //   Gary Burrows ]

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and BAR Technologies have signed a three-year memorandum of understanding aimed at accelerating the adoption of WindWings wind-assisted propulsion systems across newbuild commercial vessels.

Announced June 2 during Posidonia 2026, the agreement establishes a strategic partnership focused on integrating BAR Technologies’ WindWings technology into vessel designs at the earliest stages of construction.

The companies said they will collaborate on engineering development, including interfacing the WindWings control system with HHI’s integrated vessel control platform and developing performance verification methodologies to support broader commercial deployment.

The partnership is expected to expand wind-assisted propulsion into additional vessel segments, including gas carriers, as shipowners seek technologies that can improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions without relying solely on alternative fuels.

HHI, whose Ulsan shipyard is the world’s largest shipbuilding facility, has delivered more than 5,000 vessels to owners in more than 60 countries. BAR Technologies said the shipbuilder’s scale and technical capabilities could help standardize wind propulsion integration across a wider range of vessel types.

“Through this commercial and technical collaboration with BAR Technologies, and the joint development of WindWings, we aim to support the wider adoption and technical advancement of wind-assisted propulsion systems as a key element of next-generation maritime transport,” said Hongryeul Ryu, senior executive vice president and chief technology officer of HHI.

John Cooper, CEO of BAR Technologies, said the agreement marks a shift from individual vessel installations toward mainstream shipyard adoption.

“As fuel costs and regulatory pressure continue to build, the question for shipowners is no longer if they use wind, but how quickly,” Cooper said. “Partnering with world-class shipyards like HHI is how wind propulsion moves from early adoption into mainstream shipbuilding.”

WindWings are rigid, three-element wing sails designed to harness wind power and supplement conventional propulsion. BAR Technologies said the system delivers average fuel savings of about 1.5 tonnes per wing per day, depending on vessel type, route and operating conditions.

WindWings Fleet Continues to Expand

The agreement comes as BAR Technologies reports growing commercial adoption of WindWings across both retrofit and newbuild projects.

The company said 13 WindWings have now been installed on five vessels, including Union Maritime’s Brands Hatch, Spa and Monza, as well as earlier deployments aboard the Pyxis Ocean and Berge Olympus. Four additional WindWings-equipped vessels are scheduled to enter service before the end of 2026.

Additional tanker newbuildings under construction at Wuhu Shipyard and COSCO shipyards are expected to join the fleet this year.

The technology has received approvals from Bureau Veritas, DNV and Lloyd’s Register and is increasingly being evaluated by shipowners seeking practical methods of reducing fuel consumption and emissions while complying with tightening environmental regulations.

Tags: BAR Technologies, Hyundai Heavy Industries, WindWings