Written by
Nick Blenkey
L to R: John Cooper, Tomoaki Takahira, Naoki Arima.
BAR Technologies’ WindWings Set to Make Waves in the Japanese Market
As adoption of wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) ramps up, BAR Technologies’ WindWings could be set to get a significant slice of the Japanese market. The company recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mitsubishi Corporation and Nihon Shipyard, paving the way for further collaborations following the successful installation of WindWings on Mitsubishi Corporation’s vessel Pyxis Ocean.
In a strategic move, Mitsubishi Corporation will now operate as an agent for WindWings in Japan, offering Japanese vessel owners a comprehensive solution for wind propulsion.
Under the terms of the MoU, BAR Technologies, Mitsubishi Corporation, and Nihon Shipyard will leverage their expertise to deliver new low-emission vessels and explore opportunities to integrate WindWings into existing and new vessel designs.
Driving Positive Change
John Cooper, CEO of BAR Technologies, expressed excitement about the partnership, stating, “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 was to seek a partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation and Nihon Shipyard to ensure compliance with global shipping emissions regulations now and into the future.”
Naoki Arima, general manager of Mitsubishi Corporation’s ship and infrastructure department, highlighted the importance of the partnership in supporting the evolution of ship design and propulsion towards a new low carbon paradigm.
Accelerating Development
Nihon Shipyard, a joint venture between Imabari Shipbuilding and Japan Marine United Corporation, is responsible for the sales and design of commercial vessels. Tomoaki Takahira, director and chief of the design division at Nihon Shipyard, emphasized that the MoU will accelerate the development of low CO2 emission designs through collaboration with BAR Technologies and Mitsubishi Corporation on installing WindWings for existing and new vessels.