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MOL Signs Wide-ranging Partnership Deal with Kumejima Town
- Promoting Commercialization of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion and CO2 Capture Projects -
October 28, 2025
TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced that on October 28, it signed a comprehensive partnership agreement with Kumejima Town in Okinawa Prefecture to collaborate on renewable energy, decarbonization, and industrial tourism projects in the region. Leveraging the technologies and expertise of both parties, along with Kumejima Town's abundant natural resources, MOL will advance business initiatives aimed at addressing regional challenges and promoting industrial development, with a particular focus on expanding ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) and other businesses.
[Summary of the Agreement]
| Items | Content |
|---|---|
| Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) and utilization of deep ocean water | Development and design of intake systems for realizing 1MW-class OTEC |
| Direct ocean capture (DOC, Note 1) | Demonstration of DOC technology for ocean-based CO2 capture and exploration of pathways to societal implementation |
| Tourism related to industry/decarbonization | Tourism promotion in collaboration with cruise operators and travel agencies |
| Global HR consulting | Addressing labor shortages through overseas recruitment and other measures |
From left: Mayor of Kumejima Town Hideo Toubaru and MOL Executive Officer Miwako Ando
Kumejima Town has established the "Kumejima Model" (Note 2), a regional circular symbiosis zone that utilizes deep ocean water as a local resource for multiple purposes, including OTEC and fisheries. The town has set a goal of achieving 100% energy self-sufficiency on the island through renewable energy by 2040. In addition, it is working to promote tourism by integrating deep ocean water with natural resources, local specialties, activities, and other regional attractions. Further industrial promotion is anticipated through initiatives such as industrial tourism and decarbonization-focused tourism.
MOL will further strengthen its collaboration with Kumejima Town toward the world's first OTEC commercialization (Note 3), aiming to begin operations within fiscal year 2031. Additionally, as an extension of the Kumejima Model to surrounding industries, it will begin considering small-scale demonstration tests for DOC, a CO2 capture initiative for decarbonization. Furthermore, it will address labor shortages resulting from the island's declining population by leveraging its extensive experience and expertise in global human resources development, cultivated over years of training foreign seafarers. Through collaboration with its group companies, MOL will promote the tourism industry, expand the Kumejima Model, and contribute to regional revitalization.
The MOL Group has positioned environmental strategy as one of its key strategies in the management plan "BLUE ACTION 2035," and aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 under the "MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2."
Through strengthened collaboration under this agreement, as a marine-based social infrastructure company, MOL aims to establish renewable energy methods using OTEC, build regional industrial promotion models centered on deep-sea water, and expand its business into associated industries.
(Note 1) A technology that directly separates and recovers CO2 dissolved in seawater using electrochemical methods.
(Note 2) A self-sustaining island community model that aims to achieve self-sufficiency in renewable energy, promote industries such as aquaculture, and create jobs through the integrated utilization of deep-sea water.
(Note 3) For details on MOL's OTEC projects, please refer to the press releases below.
March 24, 2023: Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Demonstration Project in Okinawa Selected by Japan's Ministry of the Environment-Aiming to Commercialize World's 1st Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion by around 2026 -
September 24, 2025: MOL, Research Partners Achieve Efficient, High-precision Seabed Observation of Cold Discharge Water from Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion-Joint Findings Published in International Academic Journal -
MOL Group 5 Sustainability Issues
MOL Group identifies "Sustainability Issues" (Materiality) as our key issues for sustainable growth with society through realization of the Group Vision.
We anticipate this initiative to contribute especially to the realization of "Environment -Conservation for Marine and global environment-", "Human & Community -Contributing to the growth and development of people and communities-" and "Innovation -Innovation for development in marine technology-".
