Built as a tanker under yard No 270 by Imamura Zosen, Kure, Japan for K.K. Aitoku Tokuyama, Yamaguchi Pref., Japan.
01 August 1980 Launched under the name SHIN AITOKU MARU.
Tonnage 699 gross, 435 net, 1.475dwt., dim. 72.01 x 10.62 x 5.21m., draught 4.40m.
Powered by one diesel engine 4SA 6 –cyl.,1.600 hp., manufactured by Hanshin Nainenki Kogyo, Akashi, one controllable pitch propeller, speed 11 knots. Trial speed 13.5 knots.
Bunker capacity 154m³, fresh water 115m³, water ballast 653m³.
She got two sets of auxiliary sails on her two mast each 12.15 x 8.00m. Who could be automatically set or folded.
Tank capacity 1.300m³.
In 1978 during the oil crisis the Japan Marine Machinery Development Association (JAMDA) assigned to Nippon Kokan a programme of basic research on wind – assisted ships, which included wind tunnel tests.
A model ship was built by Nippon Kokan under the name DAIOH, as under which type of sail and hull form she would be best handled.
After the test results proved encouraging, the SHIN AITOKU MARU was built.
The pioneer vessel in the field of sail assistance to reduce fuel cost, performed satisfactorily.
According to the builders the fuel saving was round the 10%.
1990 Sold to Iwasaki Kisen K.K., Hinase, Japan, and renamed in NIPPO MARU.
August 1993 sold to Shenzhen Shenyeu Marine, Shenzhen Guangdong Prov., China.
1994 Renamed in YUE YOU 129.
In China (according a web-site) the sails were removed and she is used as oil product tanker.
http://www.equasis.org gives for 2021, same owner and name, IMO No 8010879, call sign BXBC. Gross tonnage given as 924 ton.
Gambia 2000 8d sg?, scott?
Source. Mr. Rosner. Ship Monthly. Marine News. 1980/389, 460,482. 1994/683. Register of Ships 1992/93, Nippon Kaiji Kyokai.