Mitsubishi Shipbuilding to Invest in Marindows to Support Development of Electric and Autonomous Ships as a Marine Systems Integrator
Entry into a small and mid-sized coastal vessel market marked by increasing electrification and autonomous operation, and accelerating the commercialization of standard electric propulsion vessels and adoption of navigation support systems.
ï½¥ Creation of new value by merging the physical and digital, and establishing a “win-win” relationship for both companies.
Tokyo, March 2022 - Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has completed investment into Marindows Inc., a Tokyo-based firm aiming to utilize 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 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 commercialization of standard electric propulsion vessels, and furthering the adoption of a safe and efficient navigation support system utilizing real-time data.
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 digitalization of ships. Marindows has adopted a vision to “Utilize 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.” The company aims to create a better work environment for crews and all personnel in the marine industry by providing a range of applications utilizing the “Marindows” marine operating system it provides as a platform. The launch of marine broadband in 2022 is expected to make possible ship 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 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. 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.
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