Imoto Shoun and Marindows are using Japan’s first replaceable container storage battery to create a next-generation system that enables hybrid operation using container storage batteries, onboard storage batteries, and generators.
As explained, this project aims to fundamentally solve the three major issues facing domestic shipping: decarbonization, crew shortages, and safe navigation, and is a challenge for a sustainable future for domestic shipping.
Its value was recognized by the Ministry of the Environment, and it was selected as a three-year project for the “Regional Co-creation, Cross-sectoral Carbon Neutral Technology Development and Demonstration Project in FY2024”.
- Achieving “completely zero emissions” of CO2 not only during operation but also throughout the entire lifecycle, from fuel extraction and production to use.
For shippers operating globally, reducing CO2 emissions in the supply chain is directly linked to international competitiveness, but the use of renewable energy on ships has only just begun to be developed. By propelling the ship using renewable energy stored in container batteries, the ship achieves completely zero emissions not only during ship operation but also from fuel extraction and production to use.
- Achieving a fundamental solution to the industry’s biggest problem, the shortage of seafarers, and ensuring safe navigation
The domestic shipping industry is in need of a drastic solution to two shortages: the number of seafarers and their skills. The ship will be able to operate safely and efficiently with fewer people, less skill and experience, through electrification, thorough standardization and modularization, and support from shore based on standardization.
- Lowering the cost and increasing the value of next-generation advanced ships
The next-generation advanced ships that are currently being developed and introduced are not only expensive but also technologically still in the process of development, so they are at risk of becoming technologically obsolete in the future.
This ship will not only reduce the cost of the ship itself through thorough standardization, modularization, and mass production, but will also significantly reduce operating costs through overall optimization, including support from shore. We aim to achieve a construction price that is approximately 30% higher than existing ships, and a total operating cost including operating costs that is approximately the same as existing ships.
In addition, by adopting a design that can be flexibly upgraded to accommodate the introduction of new technologies and systems in the future, we minimize the risk of technological obsolescence, which is the risk of ship obsolescence.
