MOL has played a key role in developing the operational concept for the offshore recovery platform and in studying offshore operations

TOKYO– Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. Today, MOL (President & CEO: Jotaro Tamura) announced a partnership between MOL and its partners (see Note 1), Innovative Space Carrier, Inc. (ISC; CEO: Kojiro Hatada), and TSUNEISHI SOLUTIONS TOKYOBAY Co., Ltd. (President: Kenichi Shibata), has obtained Approval in Principle (AiP) (Note 2) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the basic design of an unmanned, autonomous rocket recovery vessel. Building on the expertise and safe navigation technologies cultivated in shipping and offshore operations, MOL will continue to advance studies towards implementing the offshore rocket recovery vessel.

Offshore rocket recovery 

The widespread adoption of offshore rocket recovery is expected to enable the efficient retrieval and reuse of rockets, helping accelerate space development through more frequent launches and reduced launch costs. In addition, unmanned and autonomous operations have great potential to minimize direct human involvement in onboard operations and enhance operational safety.

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The overall concept of the offshore recovery system

The AiP signifies that the overall concept of the offshore recovery system, including not only the rocket recovery vessel but also the support vessel assisting in recovery operations, as well as the onshore control system that centrally monitors and manages them, has been approved in principle for both safety and technical feasibility by ABS, an independent third-party organization.

Drawing on the expertise and safe navigation technologies.

Drawing on the expertise and safe navigation technologies it has cultivated over many years in the shipping and offshore sectors, MOL has played a key role in developing the operational concept for the offshore recovery platform and in studying offshore operations. Going forward, MOL will continue working closely with ISC and TSUNEISHI SOLUTIONS TOKYOBAY, while receiving technical advice from ABS, to further refine the design and advance studies toward implementation.

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(Note 1) For details on the partnership agreement, please refer to the following press release:
MOL Forms Partnership with Innovative Space Carrier, Tsuneishi Solutions Tokyobay to Commercialize Vessel for Offshore Rocket Launch/Recovery: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines
(Note 2) Approval in Principle (AiP) is an initial approval granted by a classification society signifying that a vessel or equipment concept is technically feasible and poses no significant issues in terms of safety or applicable regulations at the conceptual design stage.

About: The MOL Group

 MOL Group’s Downstream division consists of different business activities that are part of an integrated value chain. This value chain turns crude oil into a range of refined products, which are moved and marketed for household, industrial, and transport use. The products include, among others, gasoline, diesel, heating oil, aviation fuel, lubricants, bitumen, sulphur, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). In addition, the company produces and sells petrochemicals worldwide and holds a leading position in the petrochemical sector in the Central and Eastern Europe region.

# MOL#ABS #The AiP # Jotaro Tamura #Kojiro Hatada#Kenichi Shibata #Partners Earn AiP #Rocket Recovery Vessel # Unmanned Autonomous # ISC #TSUNEISHI SOLUTIONS TOKYOBAY