Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Norway-based EnviroNor AS have signed a memorandum of understanding to discuss collaboration on a floating desalination vessel and have begun collaboration toward commercialization.
A floating desalination vessel is a floating infrastructure vessel equipped with seawater desalination equipment using reverse osmosis 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 they are built by converting a used ship. In this way, there is an ability to start water supply in a short time.
“ 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,” MOL said.
MOL said that the commercialization of a floating desalination vessel was suggested through the MOL Group employee proposal system “MOL Incubation Bridge”.
The system was introduced in September 2019 and has fostered out-of-the-box thinking in the creation of new businesses and services in the changing business environment, MOL said.