The milestone follows DNV’s approval of the Wing560 design in early June, confirming compliance with safety, regulatory, and technical requirements for installation on the vessel. Since receiving certification, a dedicated team at Oceanbird has worked intensively to complete the final stages of the retrofit, culminating in the successful completion of both Harbour Acceptance Testing (HAT) and Sea Acceptance Testing (SAT).

“This is a pivotal moment for us, and it is just the beginning,” says Amrit Bhullar, CEO of Oceanbird.

Amrit standing in front of the land-based prototype of Wing560 in Landskrona, Sweden.

“Our team has worked incredibly hard to get here, and we are immensely proud of the talent, research, and dedication behind this prototype. We are excited to see Wing560 perform at sea and demonstrate the value of our work. This installation represents an important step forward in our mission to bring wind propulsion to commercial shipping.” -- Amrit Bhullar, CEO Oceanbird

The installation was carried out at Damen Shipyard in Rotterdam between 21–24 June 2026. Tirranna departed the yard on 24 June equipped with the 46-metre-high, 14-metre-wide tiltable rigid wing sail and has now successfully completed both acceptance testing phases.

Preparing for the Harbour Acceptance Test

As Oceanbird’s first onboard prototype, the installation marks a significant milestone not only for the company but also for the wider maritime industry. It demonstrates the viability of wind-assisted propulsion in the car carrier segment, enabled by Oceanbird’s emphasis on safety, redundancy, and operational reliability.

Over the coming months, Oceanbird specialists will sail aboard Tirranna to collect performance data, monitor operational integration, and evaluate the wing’s efficiency under real-world conditions.

Industry Perspectives

Wallenius Wilhelmsen

“Exploring wind-assisted propulsion builds on a long history of testing new solutions to improve energy efficiency in our fleet,” says Lars Ekren, Senior Manager – Newbuildings and Conversions at Wallenius Wilhelmsen.

Alfa Laval

“With the successful installation and sea trial, Oceanbird has moved from vision to reality, and we are proud to be part of this journey,” says Martijn Bergink, President, Ocean Division, Alfa Laval.

Wallenius Lines

“The installation of the first Oceanbird wing on a vessel operated within the Wallenius sphere is something we are very pleased to see,” says Erik Nøklebye, CEO of Wallenius Lines.

Looking Ahead

With the first prototype now successfully operating at sea, Oceanbird is entering the next phase of commercialisation. The company’s immediate focus will be on validating performance through operational data collection while preparing for future deployments.

Upcoming installation:

• Two Wing560 units on an undisclosed vessel

• Planned installation: Spring 2027