Anyone paying only partial attention to Mitsubishi could easily make the mistake that the brand only produces JDM vehicles. With a range of budget-oriented crossovers, pickups, and one of the cheapest cars on the market, the Mirage. Modern Mitsubishi is hardly going to attract the attention of enthusiasts, like with the series of Lancer Evolution cars. The automotive wing of Mitsubishi is public but only a small section of the firm's business.

The Japanese Manufacturer has equally large divisions in Electronics and Heavy Industries. The latter of which is a major supplier in the defense market. As an island nation, Japan relies heavily on naval trade. Understanding this market, Mitsubishi leads the charge in creating a sustainable coastal vessel industry.

With a space-age name, Mitsubishi's vessel is building a sustainable future.

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What Is The 'Roboship'?

Nagasaki Shipyard
Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi pitches the Roboship as the future of cargo ships. As is common for such a large project, multiple companies are operating in partnership. Mitsubishi claims that e5 Lab Inc. and their own Mitsubishi Shipbuilding have designed the Roboship. Production will happen under another firm, Honda Heavy Industries, the industrial wing of the Honda Motor Company. The ship is a biomass fuel carrier, meaning that it will move a range of animal and plant material. This is then used as a more sustainable fuel by both energy and industry. The ship is to enter service in 2023, supporting Aioi Bioenergy Corporation.

The main goal of this project is to reduce emissions from cargo ships. This is quite a noble cause. According to Our World In Data, 16.2% of Greenhouse Gas emissions are from transport. Further vilifying cargo ships is the fact they run on diesel. With the fossil fuel far more polluting than initially thought, the industry needs a serious overhaul to become sustainable. This is where Mitsubishi's Roboship comes in. It enables what Mitsubishi calls "Marine Future Stream," their process of electrification and digitization of the shipping industry. Other projects the company are working on focus on making shipping autonomous.

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How Does The Roboship Reduce CO2?

Mitsubishi Gas Turbine
Mitsubishi

The ship is capable of holding 499 tonnes of cargo, with the new hybrid power system capable of moving 749 tonnes. Mitsubishi claim “a hybrid system of large-capacity storage batteries and generators” will propel this ship. The boat uses a twin-skeg design, two propellors at the rear of the ship. As a result, Mitsubishi claims that when cruising, horsepower sees a reduction by 20%, meaning a more efficient ship. In an even more impressive move, the manufacturer claims CO2-free operation in ports. The generators can run from a range of fuels including hydrogen, ammonia, and biofuels. It is unknown if the ship will launch in a truly carbon-neutral state, but at least the company's heart is in the right place.

Enhanced sustainability isn't the ship's only new feature. Mitsubishi has looked to digitize shipping. The switch from Diesel fuel to renewable energy increases reliability and reduces maintenance demands, reducing workload for crews. This does have both positive and negatives depending on who you ask. However, this standardized system reduces running costs which companies operating the ship will surely be happy. Further improvements include reduced noise, fewer vibrations. The ship will use the Marindows digital platform, which links ship processes with the cloud. This service launched in early 2021.