Anemoi Marine Technologies Ltd. (“Anemoi”), a UK-based engineering innovator in wind-assisted propulsion for shipping, is proud to be recognised during Keir Starmer’s visit to China, where the company is being highlighted as an example of British excellence in maritime decarbonisation.
With headquarters in the UK and production operations in China, Anemoi develops and delivers Rotor Sails, modern mechanical sails that capture the power of wind, a free fuel, enabling shipowners to significantly reduce vessel fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
The company’s increasing profile in China is further reinforced by the attendance of Anemoi’s newly appointed Programme Director, Andrew Starforth, who attended the ‘House of UK Reception’, hosted by the UK government on Friday, and the UK-China business forum on Saturday, hosted by the China British Business Council and the British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai.
This reflects Anemoi’s accelerating international growth and its commitment to building long-term partnerships in one of the world’s most strategically important maritime markets.
Since June 2023, Anemoi has secured £28 million in exports, representing the installation of 29 Rotor Sails across seven vessels, including four of the largest ships in the world, transporting iron ore between Brazil and China. These vessels operate on some of the most demanding long-distance trade routes, demonstrating the global relevance, robustness, and scalability of Anemoi’s technology in supporting the decarbonisation of international shipping.
All of Anemoi’s engineering design and R&D is conducted in the UK, with multiple Anemoi Test Facilities, including two in the North of England. These are supported in part by funding from the UK Government’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition. Since bringing Rotor Sails to market in 2020, Anemoi has increased its UK-based workforce nearly tenfold, creating more than 45 new jobs across the country. Anemoi also actively supports STEM development through graduate programmes. The company collaborates extensively with other UK-based companies and consultancies to drive the continuous improvement of its Rotor Sail technology and market rollout, contributing more than £9 million to the UK economy over the past decade.
Being highlighted by the UK Prime Minister represents a major milestone. This recognition underlines Anemoi’s role not only in supporting the UK’s clean maritime and decarbonisation ambitions, but also in helping to accelerate the transition of the global shipping industry towards renewable-powered, low-carbon operations.
Commenting on this recognition, Clare Urmston, CEO of Anemoi, said: “Our focus has always been on delivering real, measurable decarbonisation for the shipping industry. Rotor Sails offer immediate reductions in fuel use and emissions. To date, we’re proud to share that our technology has harnessed the renewable power of wind to save over 91,000 tonnes of CO2, and counting. This recognition highlights the increasing relevance of UK developed clean maritime technology in global shipping. Our model of UK led innovation combined with China’s maritime manufacturing expertise allows us to scale reliably and support shipowners globally in reducing their environmental impact.”
