Japanese consortium develop ROBOSHIP hybrid vessel

In Japan, Tokyo-based firm e5 Lab Inc. and Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, have agreed to provide the design for “ROBOSHIP,” a standard hybrid electric propulsion vessel the two companies are seeking to promote as a vision for the future of ships, for a 499-ton biomass fuel carrier being built by Honda Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. The widespread adoption of the futuristic ROBOSHIP has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions in the coastal vessel industry, and lessen the workload for crews.

ROBOSHIP utilizes a standard system package comprising the hardware for electric propulsion, including propellers, motors, switchboards, storage batteries, and generators, together with the software to safely and efficiently control this equipment. The system is able to handle a cargo ship of up to around 749 tons. The ship foregoes conventional diesel engines that require fossil fuel in favor of a hybrid system of large-capacity storage batteries and generators to drive the propulsion motors. The adoption of Mitsubishi Shipbuilding’s high-performance twin skeg ship design lowers propulsion horsepower by more than 20%, reducing CO2 emissions during cruising, and allowing the ship to navigate completely CO2-free during port operations such as freight loading and unloading, pier docking and undocking, and entering or leaving port. The generators are capable of switching between eco-friendly fuels including liquefied natural gas (LNG), hydrogen, ammonia, biofuel, and synthetic fuel, allowing all operations, including navigation, to be CO2-free.