New hi-tech concept vessel unveiled

Leading tanker shipping company, Stena Bulk, has unveiled its plans for a new concept vessel, the InfinityMAX. The new bulk carrier design is a ground-breaking multi-modal design, with a hybrid propulsion system that offers the promise of sustainable, zero-carbon, flexible seaborne transportation.

The InfinityMAX concept is designed to carry both wet and dry cargo in modular compartments and the company believes the design represents a paradigm shift in cargo transportation, and the ship’s modular cargo units can carry dry bulk, liquid bulk or liquified gas.

Each of the cargo modules is designed to be energy independent, with wind turbines and solar panels providing all electricity for internal systems. The units have also been designed to be able to be dropped off outside ports and picked up by tugs, thus avoiding port congestion and reducing call times.

The main propulsion fuel for the InfinityMAX will be hydrogen, with wind turbines to generate additional power. Collapsible wingsails and a sharkskin hull will also add to the overall efficiency and low environmental impact of the vessel.

Speaking on the announcement, Erik Hånell, President & CEO, Stena Bulk, said: “We are extremely proud to unveil our InfinityMAX concept vessel design, which we believe pushes the boundaries for the future of our industry. What we are proposing here is innovative, provocative and would radically reshape the way we think about bulk trade, rationalising two segments with complementary expertise into one shipping segment that is ready for the challenges of the future.
 
“The application of advanced technologies – including hydrogen fuel and other efficiency measures – means that this is a vessel concept that proves our core philosophy that innovation is key to commercial success, given the challenges that we all face. We will continue to work closely with our innovation partners, leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the right advances happen to make the InfinityMAX concept into a reality.”