The Copenhagen operates between Rostock in Germany and Gedser in Denmark and, with a capacity of 1,300 passengers and 460 cars or 96 trucks, is one of the world’s largest hybrid ferries. The ship combines diesel and battery power, to reduce its emissions. Now the Scandlines shipping company has decided to install an additional rotor sail from Norsepower on board the ferry, in order to reduce its CO2 emissions by a further 4 to 5%.

A rotor sail leverages the physical Magnus effect . When air hits a rotating cylinder, a propulsion transverse to the direction of wind inflow is generated. In the case of the Copenhagen, the cylinder will be approximately 30 meters in height and five meters in diameter. The ship is particularly suitable for this technology because the Rostock-Gedser route is almost perpendicular to the prevailing wind from the west most days of the year. Preparations for the retrofit are scheduled to begin in November 2019, with the rotor sail to be installed in Q2 2020.