e5 Project

The e5 Project (commercially registered as e5 Lab Co., Ltd., trading as e5 Lab Inc., and alternatively known as the e5 Consortium) is a Japanese consortium with the purpose of developing renewably-powered commercial ships.

e5 Lab Co., Ltd.
IndustryCommercial ship design
FoundedAugust 2019 (2019-08)
Headquarters
Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
Number of locations
1 (2020)
Key people
Satoshi Ichida (CEO)
Tomoaki Ichida (President)
ServicesPlanning and design of electric/hydrogen cell commercial ships
Total assets¥50,000,000 (capital)
WebsiteOfficial website

History

Founded in August 2019,[1] the e5 Project originally consisted of Asahi Tanker Co. Ltd., Exeno Yamamizu Corporation, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd., and Mitsubishi Corporation.[2] After founding, Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd., Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Ltd., and Tokyo Electric Power Company joined the partnership.[3]

The name "e5" refers to the five "focus points" of the partnership: electrification, environment, evolution, efficiency, and economics.[4][1]

In October 2019, the e5 powertrain design was certified for use by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.[5]

Marine broadband project

In November 2019, e5 announced a collaboration with SoftBank Group to develop a marine broadband network. In the first trial, planned for January through May 2020, ships would "be equipped with flat antennas and local wireless stations", before a longer trial between January 2021 and March 2022 in which SoftBank and OneWeb will test a new satellite communication system designed to develop autonomous or remotely-controlled ships.[6] The software was successfully trialled in February 2020.[7]

The company tested new software designed to allow for the remote operation of ships on 11–12 November 2020.[8][9]

Ship design projects

Commercial ship design is the focal point of the e5 Project. It has completed its first two designs, the e5 Tanker and Tug, and is developing a third.[1] Both completed e5 designs are capable of ship-to-shore power supply in the event of an emergency.[10][11]

Tanker
e5 Tanker
Class overview
Builders: Asahi Tanker Co. Ltd.
Building: 2
General characteristics
Tonnage: 499 tonnes
Length: 62 metres (203 ft)
Beam: 10.30 metres (33.8 ft)
Draft: 4.15 metres (13.6 ft)
Installed power: 3.48 MWh battery
Propulsion:
Speed: c. 10 knots
Capacity: 1,280 cubic metres (45,000 cu ft)

The e5 Tanker claims to be the first fully electric oil tanker, powered by a 3.5 MWh battery which is projected to "run non-stop for 10 hours on a half-capacity battery".[12] The ship will include a high level of automation[13] and will be charged using wind and solar energy to further reduce emissions that would be incurred in charging the ship.[12]

Asahi Tanker Co. are currently constructing two ships of the e5 Tanker design, the first of which will be completed by March 2022 and the second in March 2023, revised from an original completion target of 2021.[3][10][11] The tanker is expected to mainly operate in Tokyo Bay.[1]

Some commentators have called attention to the irony of an electric oil tanker, as the ships deliver fuel which causes pollution several times more severe.[3][12]

Tug
e5 Tug
Class overview
General characteristics
Installed power: Hydrogen cell plant, lithium ion battery
Propulsion:
Speed: 14 knots

By October 2019, e5 Lab had designed a tugboat that would run on a mixture of electricity and hydrogen fuel cells, produced with the advice of Tokyo Kisen.[1][10] It will operate in Yokohama Port and Kawasaki Port and is expected to enter service in 2022.[10]

Car carrier

The proposed car carrier, to be developed with the assistance of Mitsui O.S.K.,[14] would be powered by a mixture of liquefied natural gas and hydrogen cell generated electricity. Unlike e5 Lab's other projects, it would not be emission free, but would produce reduced emissions.[14]

References
  1. "e5 Lab". e5 Ship (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2020-06-02. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  2. "7 Japanese companies form e5 Consortium to promote electric vessels; launching electric tanker in 2022". Green Car Congress. 2020-05-22. Archived from the original on 2020-05-31. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  3. Lambert, Fred (2020-05-22). "Massive electric oil tankers are coming - oh the irony". Electrek. Archived from the original on 2020-05-30. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  4. "Japanese Companies to Launch First Zero-Emission Electric Tanker". The Maritime Executive. 2020-05-22. Archived from the original on 2020-06-06. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  5. "報道発表資料：海のEVの開発等の計画を初めて認定！！～海運のゼロエミッション化への大きな第一歩を踏み出しました～ - 国土交通省". Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (in Japanese). 2019-10-31. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  6. "e5 Lab and SoftBank Corp. to Begin Jointly Studying Marine Broadband Services that Use Next-generation Communication Satellites" (PDF). e5 Ship. 2019-11-28. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  7. "e5 Lab Conducts Demonstration Test of High-speed Satellite Communication System for Maritime Use" (PDF). e5 Project. 2020-07-10.
  8. "Japan's Roboship Project Conducts Proof of Concept Remote Control Test". The Maritime Executive. 2020-11-11. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  9. "Mitsubishi Shipbuilding to explore Roboship as future marine vessel". Ship Technology. 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  10. ""e5 Tug" – electric tug powered by battery and hydrogen fuel cell" (PDF). e5 Ship. 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  11. "Asahi Tanker orders world's first zero-emission electric propulsion bunker tankers". Manifold Times. 2020-03-31. Archived from the original on 2020-04-23. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  12. Brownell, Bradley (2020-05-22). "The Japanese Are Developing An Awesome 3.5 MWh Battery-Powered Ocean Freighter". Jalopnik. Archived from the original on 2020-05-23. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  13. "Asahi Tanker decided to build two electric tankers equipped with lithium-ion batteries for the first time in the world". Asahi Tanker Co., Ltd. 2020-03-27. Archived from the original on 2020-05-26. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  14. "MOL and e5 Lab Launch Study on Hydrogen Hybrid Pure Car Carrier" (PDF). e5 Ship. 2019-12-17. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
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