BAR Technologies has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mitsubishi Corporation and Nihon Shipyard.
The MoU provides the framework for further cooperation between the three companies following the successful installation of BAR Technologies’ patented wind propulsion system “Wind Wings” on Mitsubishi Corporation’s vessel “Pyxis Ocean.”
BAR Technologies, a simulation-based marine wind propulsion design company, Mitsubishi Corporation and Nihon Shipyard see the future collaboration as an opportunity to accelerate the introduction of wind-assisted propulsion systems into Japanese shipbuilding and ultimately serve both the domestic and global markets, as the Japanese shipping industry has significant opportunities for low-emission vessels.
Mitsubishi Corporation: “Wind Wings” representative in Japan
Under the MoU, BAR Technologies, Mitsubishi Corporation and Nihon Shipyard will utilise their joint expertise to develop new low-emission vessels while identifying opportunities to integrate “WindWings” into existing and new ship designs. Together, Mitsubishi Corporation and BAR Technologies have agreed that Mitsubishi Corporation will act as an agent for WindWings in Japan, offering a complete wind propulsion solution to Japanese shipowners.
“We are pleased to enter into this MOU with Mitsubishi Corporation and Nihon Shipyard, combining our respective competencies with market scale to advance the design and manufacture of low-emission vessels for the Japanese merchant fleet and expand our global footprint,” said John Cooper, CEO of BAR Technologies. As the third largest shipping manufacturer in the world, Japan has enormous potential to drive positive change in the next generation of large commercial vessels.
“As a global company with a long history of developing new, sustainable businesses and with the ability to bring a consolidated offering of technology, finance and commercial ideas to global challenges, we recognized that a partnership with BAR Technologies and Nihon Shipyard would fulfil our goals to support the evolution of ship design and propulsion towards a new low-carbon paradigm,” underlined Naoki Arima, General Manager in Ship & Infrastructure Dept. of Mitsubishi Corporation.
Partnership to make the industry more sustainable
“As we already have a long and trusted relationship with BAR Technologies and its Wind Wings technology, we saw the next step in the partnership as further integrating the offering to provide greater value to the industry, especially for Japanese shipping companies looking for ways to make their business sustainable.”
Tomoaki Takahira, Director, Head of Design Department, Nihon Shipyard, commented: “The shipping industry expects the development of low CO2 emission design, and this agreement will help us to accelerate this development by working with BAR technologies and Mitsubishi Corporation to install WindWings for existing and new ship designs.”
