Onomichi Marine Tech Center to Be Established
Teramoto Iron Works and Eco Marine Power to establish Marine Technology Test Facility
Eco Marine Power (EMP) in cooperation with its strategic partner, Teramoto Iron Works Co. Ltd., have agreed to establish a development and test facility in Onomichi, Hiroshima, focused on marine technologies for the shipping and offshore industries.
The new facility, to be known as the Onomichi Marine-Tech Test Center or Onomichi MTTC, will be co-located at the Teramoto Iron Works Chojahara Workshop. The center will include a large outdoor evaluation area that will allow for innovative devices such as EMP’s EnergySail to be tested.
Teramoto Iron Works, which was established in 1934, has a long history of product innovation and was involved in the production of rigid sails for ships in Japan around four decades ago. This makes the Omomichi MTTC the ideal location for the further development of the EnergySail and renewable energy solutions for shipping.
In addition, other marine technologies will be tested at the site such as the TM-600 Jack Up System which was developed by Teramoto Iron Works and was the first device of this type to be manufactured in Japan.
A number of other companies will also be involved in activities at the Onomichi MTTC including The Furukawa Battery Company and KEI System Limited.
It is also planned to build and test a complete Aquarius MRE System at the site with production due to start during 2015.