Shift4Good Boosts Its Stake in bound4blue as the Wind-Propulsion Global Leader Closes US$44M Series B with major Asian and European Investors

• The US$44 million funding round is the largest global investment in wind-assisted propulsion to date.

• Suction sails convert wind into usable thrust that replaces part of a ship’s engine power, cutting fuel use and carbon costs. Independently verified results show bound4blue’s suction sails on vessels have resulted in voyages tracking fuel and emission savings of up to 40%. 

• Maersk Tankers, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Odfjell, Klaveness Combination Carriers and BW Epic Kosan are among the shipowners who have chosen bound4blue’s eSAIL® suction sails solution.

• Shift4Good becomes the company’s largest private investor

Global impact venture capital firm Shift4Good announces its participation in the Series B funding round of bound4blue, a global leader in wind-propulsion technology for maritime transport.

Shift4Good’s follow-on investment strengthens its commitment to wind-assisted propulsion, as demand for scalable maritime decarbonisation solutions accelerates and shipowners increasingly turn to technologies that deliver immediate economic and environmental benefits. Unlike other transport sectors, maritime shipping currently has no fully zero-emission alternative, making wind propulsion an essential lever for the sector’s transition.

A round led by leading investors in Europe & Asia

The round was led by OCTAVE Capital, the investment arm of IMC, one of Asia’s most established maritime and logistics groups, and Katapult Ocean. The round brings together new investors including Motion Ventures,  Odfjell family office and ReOcean Fund - led by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and Monaco Asset Management - alongside existing investors Shift4Good, GTT Strategic Ventures, KAI Capital and CDTI (INNVIERTE), who strengthened their commitment to the company. 

Marking a new phase for bound4blue's development

“This round signals a new phase for bound4blue. Earlier stages focused on proving the technology and validating its impact; now this new capital reinforces the long-term backing we already have from investors who understand shipping and share our industrial vision and the role this technology will play across the fleet,” said José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO & Co-Founder of bound4blue. “This funding enables us to expand capacity, accelerate our growth roadmap and advance new developments that will elevate both the technology and our services to the next level. It confirms that bound4blue is built on solid foundations and positioned for sustained global deployment,” he added. 

A growing industry consensus in favour of suction sails

The investment underscores a growing industry consensus: suction sails are emerging as the leading pathway for immediate, scalable decarbonisation across the global fleet with commercial gains.  

By generating additional thrust from wind power, bound4blue’s suction sails “eSAILs®” reduce engine loads and fuel consumption, cutting vessel operating costs (with double digit savings) and CO₂ emissions. This greatly improves regulatory performance under frameworks such as CII, EEXI/EEDI, FuelEU Maritime and EU ETS. 

The new funding will accelerate bound4blue’s shift into full industrialisation of suction sails and support efforts to deepen R&D as the company looks to grow beyond existing commercial offerings. The company is also responding to increased market demand by expanding manufacturing capacity to supply hundreds of suction sails annually.  

A massive carbon impact by 2027

By 2027, the company is expected to deliver annual CO₂ savings of more than 400,000 tons, with over 570,000 tons avoided in total between 2024 and 2027 - the equivalent of removing around 87,000 passenger cars from the road each year, planting more than 18 million trees, or avoiding over 250,000 transatlantic flights. This will be done through parallel production lines in Spain and China, enabling higher production throughput, stronger supply-chain resilience and faster delivery schedules. 

Operational data verified by key industry players

Operational data continues to confirm the scale of impact bound4blue’s systems have had across several fleets. The company has already installed its technology on seven vessels, with a further twelve ships in the orderbook - representing more than fifty sails in total. These projects span leading owners such as Maersk Tankers, Eastern Pacific Shipping, Odfjell, Klaveness Combination Carriers and BW Epic Kosan, reinforcing bound4blue’s position as a preferred partner for forward-thinking players across the sector. 

Independently verified results demonstrate consistent, tangible impact in service, with third-party assessments showing average fuel savings of 15–20% and voyage-leg peaks of up to 40%. 

Aside from integration into newbuilds, suction sails offer a rare solution that can be deployed immediately on existing ships - a critical advantage as the maritime sector enters a “retrofit decade,” with tens of thousands of vessels needing efficiency upgrades before 2030. 

Yann Marteil, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Shift4Good, commented:

“In a global market characterised by massive fleet volumes and a concentrated set of major operators, the potential for impact is enormous. bound4blue has emerged as a leader in wind-assisted propulsion, supported by a team that is consistently engaged across the maritime ecosystem — from industrial deployment to policy and regulatory discussions. Their ability to operate at the intersection of technology, industry needs and sector evolution is exactly what Shift4Good seeks to back.”

This follow-on investment also reflects Shift4Good’s growing engagement in maritime and energy transition technologies, bridging European and Asian markets through its offices in Paris, Stockholm, and Singapore. 

About bound4blue

bound4blue develops automated wind-assisted propulsion systems as a turnkey solution for all shipowners and shipping companies seeking to reduce fuel costs and polluting emissions. bound4blue’s eSAIL® system is a validated solution for saving fuel and emissions, completely autonomous, with low maintenance and easy installation onboard, being the most cost-efficient wind propulsion technology today. It is suitable for Tankers, Bulkers, Ro-Ros, Cruise vessels, Ferries, Gas Carriers, and General Cargo vessels, regardless of their size or age. The company, founded in 2014 with a vocation clearly focused on the renewable energy sector in the maritime field, has its headquarters in Cantabria (Spain) and offices in Barcelona and Singapore. Since completing its first installation in 2021, the company has deployed its eSAIL® system on seven ships, with 12 more in its order book, representing more than 50 eSAILs®. Its growing client portfolio includes industry leaders such as Eastern Pacific Shipping, Maersk Tankers, Marubeni Corporation, Klaveness Combination Carriers and Louis Dreyfus Company, among others.

For more information, visit: www.bound4blue.com