Mitsui O.S.K. Lines And EnviroNor Sign MOU To Collaborate On Floating Desalination Vessel

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto; Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) and EnviroNor AS (EnviroNor; Chairman of the Board Michael Alexander Brakstad Larsen, Headquarters: Norway) have signed a memorandum of understanding to discuss collaboration on a Floating Desalination Vessel (FDV; Note 1) and have begun collaboration toward commercialization.

By combining MOL’s extensive experience in building, owning and operating ships over many years with EnviroNor’s expertise within shipping and desalination, we aim to build FDVs and capture business opportunities as a means of providing new fast-track solutions all over the world where water shortages are a current and rapid growing challenge.

Commercialization of Floating Desalination Vessel was suggested through the MOL Group Employee Proposal System “MOL Incubation Bridge” (Note 2), and resulted in a memorandum of understanding with EnviroNor.

(Note 1)

Floating Desalination Vessel is a floating infrastructure vessel equipped with seawater desalination equipment using reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, which removes impurities other than water, to produce fresh water (drinking water) and supply it to shore. Compared to a seawater desalination plant on land, FDVs do not require the acquisition of land and is built by converting a used ship, so it offers advantages such as the ability to start water supply in a short time.

(Note 2)

“MOL Incubation Bridge” system was introduced in September 2019, with the objective of providing opportunities for MOL Group employees to maximize their skills and abilities and proactively challenge themselves, and has fostered out-of-the-box thinking in the creation of new businesses and services in the changing business environment.

Reference: MOL