HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and BAR Technologies have established a strategic partnership focused on technical collaboration and commercial opportunities for the integration of BAR’s WindWings propulsion system.
“As one of the world's leading shipbuilders, with its Ulsan yard recognized as the largest shipbuilding facility globally, HHI brings significant scale to the deployment of the technology,” the companies said in a joint statement issued in Athens June 2. ‘This agreement establishes a joint engineering approach at the vessel design stage, enabling a more integrated and consistent application of WindWings in newbuild vessels.”
BAR Technologies’ system uses a patented three-element wing design delivering 2.5 times the lift of a single-element wing. WindWings require no continuous power for suction fans or mechanical spinning, and automatically adjust camber and angle of attack for optimized efficiency across a wide range of wind conditions.
With the new memorandum of agreement the two companies will collaborate on the technical development of interfacing the WindWings® control system with HHI's integrated vessel control system and developing performance verification methodologies to support scalable commercial deployment.
HHI's collaboration with BAR Technologies reflects shared confidence in the performance and reliability of the three-element rigid wing sail design, and its potential to contribute to fuel efficiency and emissions reduction in commercial shipping.
The collaboration is expected to support the expansion of wind-assisted propulsion across a broader range of vessel segments, including gas carriers, as shipowners seek viable solutions to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. Having delivered more than 5,000 vessels to shipowners across over 60 countries since its founding, HHI brings the scale and industry reach to support this expansion effectively across a wide range of vessel types.
The MOU has an initial term of three years and reflects a shared focus on deploying practical, lower-emission technologies at scale within the maritime sector. As regulatory and commercial pressures intensify, wind-assisted propulsion is becoming an increasingly important lever for shipowners looking to reduce fuel consumption and improve efficiency under tightening regulatory frameworks.
“Through this commercial and technical collaboration with BAR Technologies, and the joint development of WindWings, we aim to support the wider adoption and technical advancement of Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems as a key element of next-generation maritime transport,” said Hongryeul Ryu, senior executive vice president and chief technology officer of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.
“This collaboration goes beyond technology integration; it represents a step toward fundamentally evolving the way ships are designed for the future. As a leading shipbuilder in the global maritime industry's decarbonization journey, we are committed to playing our part in driving this transition forward.”
This agreement builds on existing WindWings® installations on retrofit and newbuild vessels, supporting wider integration into vessel design and creating a more scalable and standardized pathway for adoption, as shipowners increasingly look to wind, a fully scalable, fuel-free energy source to reduce emissions and meet tightening regulatory requirements.
“We already have WindWings deployed across a significant number of newbuild vessels. This agreement is about taking that further and into new segments,” said John Cooper, CEO of BAR Technologies. “Working with HHI allows us to move beyond existing orders and extend wind propulsion into vessel design, including in areas such as gas carriers.”
“As fuel costs and regulatory pressure continue to build, the question for shipowners is no longer if they use wind, but how quickly,” said Cooper. “Partnering with world-class shipyards like HHI is how wind propulsion moves from early adoption into mainstream shipbuilding.”
