Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and Japan's e5 Lab have completed a design for a hybrid electric ship for the Japanese coastal biomass trades.
The 500-gt vessel has been ordered by e5 member Asahi Tanker at Honda Shipbuilding for delivery in April 2023.
It will operate carrying biomass cargoes for Aioi Bioenergy Corporation.
The ship — dubbed Roboship because of it automated features — will deliver biomass from the port of Kobe to Kansai Electrical Power's biomass generator at Aioi in Hyogo Prefecture.
