Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has completed investment into Marindows Inc., a Tokyo-based firm, aiming to utilise the revolution in information technology to build an integrated digital platform for the marine industry.
Amid the current energy revolution, this partnership will accelerate efforts to achieve a carbon neutral world in areas from electrification and autonomous operation to the marine industry, create new value by merging the physical and digital, and establish a ‘win-win’ relationship with substantial benefits for both companies.
Electrification and autonomous operation
Electrification and autonomous operation in the coastal vessel industry has become increasingly widespread, particularly in the small and mid-sized vessel market.
This investment will provide a network with the small and mid-sized coastal vessel market, fishing boat market, and pleasure boat market that will support Mitsubishi Shipbuilding’s efforts for the commercialisation of standard electric propulsion vessels, and furthering the adoption of a safe and efficient navigation support system, utilizing real-time data.
Investment in Marindows Inc.
Marindows has adopted a vision to utilise the revolution in information technology to solve the issues of safety
Marindows Inc. was established in March 2021 by e5 Lab Inc., a firm jointly founded by four companies representing shipping firms and a trading company to promote the electric propulsion and digitalisation of ships.
Marindows has adopted a vision to utilise the revolution in information technology to solve the issues of safety, productivity, and environmental conservation facing the marine industry, and transform the marine sector into one of the leading growth industries of the 21st century.
‘Marindows’ marine operating system
The company aims to create a better work environment for crews and all personnel in the marine industry, by providing a range of applications that use the ‘Marindows’ marine operating system, which it provides as a platform.
The launch of marine broadband in 2022 is expected to make possible for ships to shore communications and crew support services in real time, which up to now had been unattainable, because of the unreliability of such communications.
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. has built more than 5,000 vessels, including passenger ships, ferries, oceanographic research vessels and patrol boats, and has actively adopted new technologies as a pioneer in the construction of energy carriers, including coal carriers, oil tankers, and liquified gas carriers (LPG and LNG carriers).
In recent years, as a marine systems integrator generating innovation in the marine-related engineering and services business, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has been pursuing initiatives that go beyond the conventional shipbuilding business model of just building and selling products.
MARINE FUTURE STREAM vision for 2050
Through this investment, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding will continue to respond to the demands of customers and society
Through this investment, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding will continue to respond to the demands of customers and society, and work toward solutions to achieve its ‘MARINE FUTURE STREAM’ growth strategy.
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. has established the MARINE FUTURE STREAM vision for 2050 in the ship and marine sector, setting the goals of ‘effective utilisation of the marine space’ and ‘a decarbonised marine world’, and working to generate ideas for marine-related innovation and achieving them through back-casting.
Focus on the decarbonisation of ships
For the effective utilisation of the marine space, in order to establish a safety society in which people work comfortably with the sea, and everyone is able to live well, and with peace of mind, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding will utilise digital technologies and service businesses that extend beyond the confines of shipbuilding, to establish a sound material-cycle society.
For ‘a decarbonised marine world’, in order to focus on the decarbonisation of ships, as well as the use of renewable energy and CO2 capture at sea, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding will pursue the decarbonisation of society through the marine business.