UK marine engineering consultancy specialising in wind propulsion BAR Technologies has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mitsubishi Corporation, and Nihon Shipyard of Japan.
The MoU is itended to set a framework for further collaborations between the three businesses following the successful installation of BAR Technologies’ patented WindWings wind propulsion system onto Mitsubishi Corporation’s vessel Pyxis Ocean.
Recognising the significant opportunity for low-emission vessels to be offered to the Japanese shipping industry, BAR Technologies, Mitsubishi Corporation, and Nihon Shipyard see future collaboration as a way of expediting wind-assisted propulsion systems into Japanese vessel manufacturing and ultimately supplying both domestic and global markets.
Under the terms of the MoU, BAR Technologies, Mitsubishi Corporation, and Nihon Shipyard will leverage their combined expertise to deliver new low-emission vessels, while identifying opportunities to integrate WindWings into existing and new vessel designs. In tandem, Mitsubishi Corporation and BAR Technologies have agreed for Mitsubishi Corporation to operate as an agent for WindWings in Japan.
John Cooper, CEO, BAR Technologies, said: “We are excited to enter into this MoU with Mitsubishi Corporation and Nihon Shipyard, combining our respective skillsets with the market scale to expedite low-emission shipping design and manufacturing into the Japanese merchant fleet, expanding our global presence. As the third largest global shipping manufacturer, Japan has huge potential to drive positive change in the next generation of large commodities vessels. With a rapidly growing pipeline of WindWings orders for vessels in other major shipping markets, the next logical stage in our journey was to seek a partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation and Nihon Shipyard to enable customers in Japan to ensure their fleets will be compliant with global shipping emissions regulations now and into the future. We look forward to progressing this MoU with Mitsubishi and Nihon Shipyard in due course.”
Naoki Arima, GM Ship and Infrastructure, Mitsubishi Corporation, added: “As a global enterprise with a long history of developing new, sustainable businesses, and with the ability to bring a consolidated offer of technology, finance, and commercial ideas to global challenges, we recognised that a partnership with BAR Technologies and Nihon Shipyard would deliver on our aims to support the evolution of ship design and propulsion into a new low carbon paradigm. Having an existing, long and trustworthy relationship with BAR Technologies and its WindWings technology, we felt the next step in the partnership was to further integrate the offer enabling us to provide more value to the industry, especially for Japanese shipping companies who are exploring ways to maintain a sustainable business.”
Tomoaki Takahira, Director, chief of Design Division Nihon Shipyard, said: “While the shipping industry is expecting to develop low CO2 emission design, this MoU will help us accelerate for such development through collaboration works of installing WindWings for existing and new vessel design with BAR technologies and Mitsubishi Corporation.”
Image: BAR Technologies, Misubishi Corporation and Nihon Shipyard MoU (source: BAR/Tamarind PR)
