Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and Metro Weather Co., Ltd. has announced the start of a demonstration experiment on the route between Tokyo and Fukuoka using Metro Weather's Doppler LiDAR (Note 1), a long-range wind condition measurement device installed on the RORO vessel MUSASHI MARU-owned by MOL Group company, MOL Sunflower Ltd.
This is the first time in the world that a Doppler LiDAR has been installed on a large seagoing vessel. Using the Doppler LiDAR, MOL and Metro Weather will observe real-time wind 3 dimensional conditions more than 10 km away from MUSASHI MARU and can see such wind conditions onboard.
In addition, as part of the maritime industry's digital transformation (DX), big data, such as wind conditions obtained onboard, is transferred to shore via Starlink, a high-speed data communication system. This aims to reduce fuel oil consumption onboard and contribute to safe operations.
MOL has invested in Metro Weather through MOL PLUS Co., Ltd., an MOL Group corporate venture capital arm, pursuing business alliances in a wide range of fields. MOL and Metro Weather will continue to leverage their core technologies and resources to add new value to the shipping industry and society through synergy.
(Note 1) Doppler LiDAR is a type of Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar), and it can measure wind direction and speed in three dimensions within a radius of 15 km by irradiating minute dust particles floating in the air with infrared laser, which is harmless to the human body, and receiving the reflected waves.