Oceanbird has completed the installation of Wing560 on Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s 230-metre car carrier, Tirranna . DNV granted the design certificate in the first week of June this year, verifying the class society’s approval on safety, regulatory compliance and that Wing560 meets the applicable technical requirements for Tirranna. A focused team at Oceanbird has since run  at full capacity to finalise the retrofit’s final steps to HAT and SAT.  

“This is a pivotal moment for us, and it is just the beginning. Our team has worked incredibly hard to get here and we are so proud of the talent, research and dedicated work behind this prototype. We are very excited to see Wing560 perform at sea so we can prove the value of our efforts. This installation is the next step in our journey to create wind propulsion systems,” says Oceanbird CEO, Amrit Bhullar. 

The installation took place between 21–24 June 2026 at Damen Shipyard in Rotterdam, and Tirranna departed the yard on 24 June to begin her next voyage equipped with the tiltable rigid wing sail. As of 1 July, 2026 the Harbour Acceptance Test and Sea Acceptance Test have been completed. 

As Oceanbird’s first onboard prototype, this achievement signals, not only Oceanbird’s tangible entry into the market, but the opening of the car carrier segment to wind propulsion enabled by Oceanbird’s unique and stringent safety features and redundancies. The Wing560 stands 46-metres tall and 14-metres wide, contributing the surface area needed to provide thrust to such a large vessel. An Oceanbird team will sail with Tirranna to collect performance data, monitor usage, and evaluate the wing’s efficiency under real operating conditions under a limited period. 

Quote from Wallenius Wilhelmsen: 
“Exploring wind-assisted propulsion builds on a long history of testing new solutions to improve energy efficiency in our fleet. This is a full-scale installation in commercial operation, giving us the opportunity to learn how this technology performs in practice. It’s an important step in evaluating how solutions like this can work alongside our existing efforts as part of a broader approach to reducing emissions,” says Lars Ekren, Senior Manager – Newbuildings and Conversions at Wallenius Wilhelmsen.   

Quote from Alfa Laval: 
"With successful installation and sea trial, Oceanbird has moved from vision to reality, and we are proud to be part of this journey. We deeply appreciate the Oceanbird team’s commitment and innovation that have made this achievement possible. It is rewarding to collaborate on technology that supports the energy transition through wind energy technology. We look forward to the next deliveries and to continuing this journey together."- Martijn Bergink, President, Ocean Division, Alfa Laval 

Quote from Wallenius Lines: 
“The installation of the first Oceanbird wing on a vessel owned by one of our associated companies, Wallenius Wilhelmsen, is something we are very pleased to see. This marks an important step in the commercialization of wind propulsion for the global fleet. Wallenius Lines has a long tradition of enabling new technologies and driving innovation together with partners. By contributing to the development and scaling of wind propulsion solutions, the company helps create the conditions for improved energy efficiency and a shift towards more sustainable maritime transport.” - Erik Nøklebye, CEO, Wallenius Lines 

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Next Steps 

• Upcoming vessel installations: Two (2) Wing 560s, Undisclosed vessel, Spring 2027 

About Orcelle Horizon 

The Orcelle Horizon project is an EU funded initiative driven by 11 partners that aims to usher in a new generation of large RoRo vessels powered by wind for over 50% of their propulsion, significantly cutting fuel use and emissions while preserving operational and commercial performance. It combines advanced simulations, digital platforms, control systems, vessel design, and real-world experience from wing technology. A key milestone is the Orcelle Horizon demonstrator on the vessel Tirranna, a full-scale single-wing retrofit designed to deliver around 10% energy efficiency gains; equipped with sensors and control systems, it serves as a live testbed to validate performance, automation, safety, and weather routing across global operations. 
 

Read more at Orcelle – Bringing Wind Back to Shipping