Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group unit Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has invested in Japanese marine integrated digital platform provider Marindows.
This collaboration is expected to speed up efforts to attain carbon neutrality in areas of the marine industry such as electrification and autonomous operation. It also aims to offer new value through a combination of the physical and digital.
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The investment will help the company tap the coastal vessel market, where autonomous operation and electrification is becoming more common. This market includes small and mid-sized vessels, as well as fishing and pleasure boats.
The deal will also help the company accelerate its efforts to commercialise standard electric propulsion vessels and implement an advanced navigation support system using real-time data.
Founded by e5 Lab last March, Marindows aims to use its marine operating system for the development of several applications to form a better work environment for crews and all personnel in the marine sector.
Designed to facilitate better ship to shore communications and crew support services in real-time, Marine broadband from Marindows is anticipated to launch later in the year.
In February, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding partnered with Sanyu Kisen for the development of a green demonstration test vessel.
More than 5,000 vessels, including passenger ships, ferries, patrol boats and oceanographic research vessels, have been constructed by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding.
The company also uses new technologies to build energy carriers, including coal carriers, oil tankers and liquified gas carriers.
