The 25th of August, in Landskrona, the first Oceanbird Wing was raised – a milestone in the journey toward sustainable marine innovation.
As part of the Wallenius Lines legacy, this event marks a tangible step forward in realizing emission-free shipping. The Oceanbird Wing 560, designed for both new builds and retrofits, represents a breakthrough in aerodynamic performance and environmental impact. It measures 40 meters in height, 14 meters in width, and has a sail area of 560 square meters. According to Oceanbird’s calculations, a single sail can save up to 600 tons of marine diesel per year, equivalent to approximately 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide.
The inauguration in Landskrona brought together representatives from the owners, Alfa Laval and Wallenius Lines, along with sector representatives, politics and employees from Oceanbird and Oresund Dry Docks. Together, we celebrated not only a technological milestone but also the beginning of a new era where Swedish innovation once again leads the way for the future of shipping.
A shining example of Swedish innovation
Sweden’s Minister for Infrastructure, Andreas Carlson, gave a speech during the inauguration in which he highlighted the wing sail as a shining example of Swedish innovation:
“Today I had the honor of inaugurating Oceanbird’s new wing sail – a technological breakthrough developed by Wallenius Marine AB together with Alfa Laval. With its innovative design, the sail reduces both fuel consumption and emissions. It’s a solution that not only has the potential to reshape the entire industry – but also strengthens jobs, growth, and Sweden’s competitiveness.”
The first wing sail will be permanently placed at the Oresund DryDocks shipyard in Landskrona, serving both as a training platform for crews on vessels equipped with the technology, and as a marketing platform for potential future customers. A second, identical wing sail will also be assembled during the autumn and installed on Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s vessel Tirranna at the beginning of 2026.
“For Wallenius, this is a first step towards what we believe will be about wind power as a main energy source. Modern cargo vessels powered by wind sails are no longer just a cool vision. The increasing digital world already now allows for smarter planning and operation of supply chains, which in turn can deploy sailing cargo vessels without negative impact to end-consumers. Rather the opposite, consumer goods could be transported on the seas with up to 90% less emission.” – Erik Nøklebye, CEO Wallenius Lines
Note: Oceanbird is a joint venture equally owned by Wallenius Lines and Alfa Laval, combining the expertise of two leading Swedish industrial pioneers to accelerate the green transition in maritime transport.