UK-based Union Maritime has taken delivery of Monza, an LR2 tanker fitted with two 37.5-meter BAR Technologies WindWings rigid sails. The vessel is the third in the company’s newbuild series combining LNG dual-fuel propulsion with wind-assisted technology — the world’s first such LR2 tanker series. Monza was built by Yangzijiang Shipbuilding in China, with WindWings manufactured by China Merchants CMET.

BAR Technologies CEO John Cooper said the delivery confirms wind-assisted propulsion is moving beyond first-of-a-kind installations into repeatable commercial deployment. The WindWings system uses a three-element rigid wing design that generates up to 2.5 times more lift than conventional sail systems, with performance already demonstrated on vessels including Pyxis Ocean and Berge Olympus.

The delivery comes as the International Maritime Organization continues debating the future of its Net Zero Framework and market-based carbon measures. With regulatory uncertainty pushing shipowners toward solutions that deliver immediate, verifiable emissions reductions, Monza is expected to support compliance with FuelEU Maritime and IMO efficiency targets without reliance on future fuel supply.