Test and Evaluation Center for Shipping, Marine and Offshore Technologies
The Onomichi Marine Tech Test Center or Onomichi MTTC is located at the Teramoto Iron Works Chojahara Workshop in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Onomichi is a major center of ship building and ship repair industries.
The centre includes a large outdoor evaluation area which is used to develop, test, evaluate and demonstrate new technologies or provide support for products in service. Equipment installed at the center includes a jack-up rig for offshore wind power facilities, marine solar power panels, marine-grade frames for ship photovoltaic (PV) systems and an EnergySail test unit.
A key focus at the Onomichi MTTC is renewable energy related technologies for shipping, marine and offshore applications. The aim is to help develop solutions that will assist with the transition of shipping to a zero emissions future.
The Onomichi MTTC is also being used as a test and R&D centre for EMP's patented EnergySail and Aquarius MRE technologies.
Teramoto Iron Works (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.
These rigid sails were known as "JAMDA" (Japan Marine Machinery Development Association) sails and the fuel savings on ships that used them ranged between approximately 10% - 30%. Trials using these sails also showed that they were capable of moving the ship at low speed without the use of the main engines.
Variations of these rigid sails could be folded when not in use and they proved the viability of using rigid sails as a means of auxillary propulsio to reduce fuel consumption on powered vessels.
The JAMDA rigid sail experience makes the Onomichi MTTC the ideal location for the ongoing development of the EnergySail and other renewable energy solutions for shipping including marine solar power. In addition other solutions for shipping, marine and offshore applications are also developed and tested at the center.
Current projects ongoing at the Onomichi MTTC
TM-600 Jack Up System for offshore rigs & offshore platforms.
Aquarius Marine Solar Power system testing.
Marine solar photovoltaic (PV) panels evaluation.
Design and testing of PV panel mounting frames for ship and offshore applications.
EnergySail testing and evaluation.
Ship, marine & offshore energy storage solutions design & evaluation.
Evalaution of energy storage solutions and batteries for ship & offshore applications.
Future planned projects
Aquarius MRE testing and evaluation.
Marine wind power device testing including wind power turbines.
Aquarius USV testing.
In addition to Teramoto Iron Works and Eco Marine Power other companies involved in activities at the Onomichi MTTC include KEI System, Furukawa Battery and Fuji Trading
Equipment from other suppliers in Japan and internationally will also be evaluated at the center as required.
The Onomichi MTTC also conducts testing and evaluation projects in co-operation with the Aquarius Innovation Lab in Osaka.
For further information about our development activities with our strategic partners please see our R&D section.
Note: Aquarius MRE and EnergySail are registered trademarks of Eco Marine Power Co. Ltd.
Aquarius Unmanned Surface Vessel
Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) Powered by Renewable Energy (Under Development)
The Aquarius USV™ is being developed as a cost-effective Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) or Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) that will incorporate a number of technologies from Eco Marine Power & its strategic partners. These technologies include the patented Aquarius MRE and EnergySail plus high performance marine batteries & lightweight flexible marine solar panels.
The Aquarius USV will be powered by a solar-electric hybrid marine power (HMP) solution which will also feature a solar panel array designed by EMP. On-board batteries will be re-charged via the solar-panel array or via ship or shore power using rapid battery re-charging technology.
The vessel will be fitted with compact low power marine computer systems which will utilise the KEI 3240 platform - this flexible marine computer system architecture has proven itself to be reliable on hundreds of vessels ranging from tugboats to ocean going bulk ore carriers and tankers.
The vessel will also be fitted with a sensor pack including several unique sensors developed by EMP. These sensors will be able to collect data from above and below the waterline and this data can either be stored on-board the vessel and/or transmitted back to a ship or shore office. Data transmission will be possible via Wi-Fi, mobile phone or satellite connections.
The Aquarius USV's shallow draft and low height will allow it to operate on urban waterways, rivers, bays and lakes in addition to being suitable for coastal waters and missions at sea. If needed, the masts can also be lowered (optional) to give the vessel a stealth capability.
Typical missions for the Aquarius USV could include monitoring harbour pollution, oceanographic surveys, maritime park surveillance, port security, coastal border patrols, marine data collection and anti-submarine warfare (ASW).
A variation of the Aquarius USV will include a stand-alone version of EMP's unique EnergySail technology in order to extend the vessel's range and allow for additional sensors to be fitted.
EMP is also studying the possibility of developing a robotic version of the Aquarius USV.
The Aquarius USV design study project started in 2011 and has now been re-aligned with EMP's other development projects. Lab testing of technologies to be used for the Aquarius USV has already commenced.
Note: Aquarius MRE, Aquarius USV, EnergySail and Aquarius MAS are trademarks of Eco Marine Power.
Aquarius Innovation Lab
Research & Design Facility Focused on Sustainable Shipping Technologies
The Aquarius Innovation Lab conducts research & design plus product development activities related to marine renewable energy systems and fuel saving technologies. Ongoing projects include the development of the Aquarius MRE System and EnergySail, both of which are being tested and evaluated at the lab.
The Aquarius Innovation Lab is unique in that it develops and tests a wide range of equipment in a multi-vendor environment thereby allowing Eco Marine Power to provide solutions suited to ships ranging from small passenger ferries and tugboats to naval vessels, bulk ore carriers and cruise ships.
Equipment currently in the lab includes an EnergySail prototype, EnergySail ACS (Automated Control System), MPPT Controller, Aquarius MAS, various solar panels, sensors, marine batteries and a marine electric motor.
The lab is also an international centre and works with with designers, equipment manufactures & technical firms from Japan, Italy, Greece, UK, Canada, USA, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.
The Aquarius Innovation Lab is also utilised to prepare new features for the Aquarius Management & Automation System (Aquarius MAS) and to support the development of new software features for KEI System's marine computer systems such as the KEI 3240 Data Logger.
Additionally, the lab acts as a technical support, integration testing and verification centre as required.
The facility is located in Osaka, Japan, and includes an indoor test centre plus an outdoor area for evaluating the performance of hardware such as solar panels, rigid sails & wind power devices.
Innovation and Co-Operation
The Aquarius Innovation Lab was established by KEI System Ltd and Eco Marine Power Ltd as part of their ongoing co-operation to develop fuel saving and emission reduction solutions. These solutions incorporate renewable energy, energy storage and computer system technologies.
Equipment monitoring and performance management systems are also tested at the lab as are stand-alone units such as marine-grade flexible solar panels and MPPT controllers.
A number of technology providers have supplied equipment to be evaluated at the lab and additional equipment is installed as required.
It is through this type of co-operation that further innovative solutions will be developed to help make shipping even more efficient and environmentally friendly in the years ahead.
Current Projects
The following testing and/or evaluation projects are currently ongoing at the lab.
Aquarius MAS - development and testing of additional software features.
Aquarius MRE System - prototype system testing & evaluation. (also preparation and support for sea trials)
EnergySail - prototype testing and evaluation. (including computer control system)
Marine Solar Power - evaluation of flexible solar panels, interface units and MPPT hardware.
Aquarius USV - evaluation of control system & power management for Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV).
In addition the lab provides technical support for the Blue Star Delos Renewable Energy Innovation Project as required.
Note: Aquarius MRE System, Aquarius MAS, Aquarius USV and EnergySail are trademarks of Eco Marine Power.
Aquarius Eco Ship Media Downloads
Aquarius Eco Ship - A Sustainable Ship Design Concept
Media Information, Images & Downloads
Higher resolution images for articles and media reports are available upon request.
Aquarius Eco Ship with Aquarius MRE
Size: 1024 x 768. 160kB.
The Aquarius Eco Ship is a sustainable ship design concept by Eco Marine Power (EMP) which incorporates patented Aquarius MRE technology along with other fuel & emission reduction technologies including the Aquarius MAS computer system. This combination of technologies could lead to an annual fuel reduction of 40% or more plus significantly lower noxious gas & carbon and particulate matter emissions.
Aquarius MRE incorporates patented EnergySail technology developed by Eco Marine Power and energy storage modules, marine-grade solar panels and control & management systems. Aquarius MRE is fully automated, requires little attention from the ship's crew and provides a means to help shipping lines and/or ship owners comply with emission reduction regulations.
This image shows an Aquarius Eco Ship concept applied to a bulk carrier or bulker, however the Aquarius Eco Ship concept could be applied to other types of vessels such as oil tankers, cargo ships, cruise ships offshore support ships & passenger ferries.
EnergySail Array on Aquarius Eco Ship
Size: 247 x 240. 9.99kB.
The EnergySail is a innovative rigid sail device designed by Eco Marine Power which can be used either as a stand-alone unit or in an array as shown. The EnergySail can be positioned automatically by a computer system or manually controlled via the ship's crew. This computer system is know as the EnergySail ACS and is being developed jointly by EMP and KEI System in Osaka, Japan.
The flexibility of the EnergySail design means that it can be installed on a wide variety of ships including bulk carriers, cargo ships, passenger ferries, cruise ships and even unmanned surface vessels.
The EnergySail can also be used when a ship is in port or harbour which is a major advantage over traditional & rigid sail designs.
A typical Aquarius MRE solution would include several EnergySail devices along with energy storage modules & solar panels either mounted on the sails or elsewhere on the ship.
Aquarius Eco Ship - Renewable Energy for Shipping (Video Clip)
Please Note: Aquarius MRE, Aquarius MAS, EnergySail ACS & EnergySail are trademarks of Eco Marine Power.
Aquarius Eco Ship concept by Greg Atkinson and Eco Marine Power. Copyright 2012 - 2018. All rights reserved.
Aquarius Eco Ship
Low Emission Green Ship Concept Design with Rigid Sails & Solar Power
Pathway to Zero Emission Shipping
The Aquarius Eco Ship is a green shipping concept design and ongoing comprehensive study project focused on optimizing the design of a large ocean going ship such as a bulk carrier, oil tanker, RoRo vessel or cruise ship, to harness the power of the wind & sun using Aquarius MRE and other emissions reduction and energy efficient technologies.
The Aquarius Eco Ship study project was started by Eco Marine Power Co. Ltd (EMP) in May 2011 and has attracted world-wide interest. So far it has led to the development of several patented design concepts and the trial and commercialization of a ship-based solar power system: Aquarius Marine Solar Power.
The centre piece of the Aquarius Eco Ship is Aquarius MRE (Marine Renewable Energy) - an innovative and patented fuel saving and emission reduction system that incorporates a variety of elements including solar panels, energy storage modules, computer control systems and an advanced rigid sail design.
Low Emission, Sail Assisted Shipping with Solar Power
The Aquarius Eco Ship is a low emission & wind assisted or sail assisted propulsion solution which has been designed to be highly flexible and configurable so that the concept can be applied to most ship sizes and types.
Applications for the system include bulkers, oil tankers, general cargo ships, survey ships, passenger ferries, cruise ships, Ro-Ro ships, car carriers & even unmanned surface vessels.
In addition to Aquarius MRE, a future Aquarius Eco Ship would be fitted with other fuel saving measures such as an advanced electrical propulsion system, low power LED lighting, air lubrication, an optimised hull design and waste heat recovery technologies. Fuel cell technology could also be incorporated into the design.
This combination of technologies could lead to fuel savings of 40% or more and also dramatically reduce the emission of noxious gases such as Sulphur Oxides (SOx), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). In addition the use of renewable energy and energy saving measures would reduce the vessels carbon (CO2) footprint.
An Aquarius Eco Ship could include up to 1 MWp of solar power and enough energy storage modules so that the ship would not need to use auxiliary diesel generators whilst in port. This could also enable the ship to operate emissions free when alongside or an anchor.
Both the Aquarius Eco Ship and Aquarius MRE have been designed to take into account the reality of operating rigid sails on ocean going ships and include a range of software and hardware related safety features. The rigid sails for example, can be lowered and stored when not in use or during extreme weather or emergencies. The automated control system will also lower or position the rigid sails to avoid injury to the crew or damage to the ship or sails.
EnergySail Technology - Wind Power & Solar Power for Ships
The rigid sails used by the Aquarius Eco Ship form part of Eco Marine Power's patented EnergySail technology. This renewable energy sail platform allows for a variety of energy sources to be used and managed via the same system. Solar panels & wind power devices can be mounted on the rigid sails or elsewhere on the ship in a variety of configurations.
Aquarius MRE technology will enable ships of all types and sizes to safely use renewable energy in order to reduce fuel consumption and lower harmful emissions in a cost effective way. The Aquarius Eco Ship is an example of how this system could be integrated into a new ship design although it is also suitable for existing ship designs and could be retro-fitted to vessels already in service.
Aquarius Eco Ship - Renewable Energy for Ships (Video Introduction)
The Aquarius Eco Ship is another example of how Eco Marine Power is developing designs to move shipping towards a more sustainable and zero emissions future.
Aquarius Eco Ship with Sail Assisted Propulsion - Main Details
Aquarius Eco Ship
Bulk cargo variation
RE System Type
Aquarius MRE
LOA
240 metres (Approx,)
Breadth
45 metres (Approx.)
EnergySail Array
14 rigid sails with solar
Solar
Aquarius MAS + Solar
Max Design Speed
16 knots
Eco Speed
12 knots
Engine Power
13,000 kW
Engine Power
5,000 kW
Propulsion
Hybrid electric (with hydrogen fuel cells)
Energy Storage
Hybrid VRLA battery modules
RE - renewable energy. MAS - management & automation system.
Innovative sail-assisted propulsion and solar power device for ships ready for demonstrations and further evaluation testing.
Fukuoka, Japan - 4th March 2020 - Eco Marine Power (EMP) is pleased to announce that an EnergySail® demonstration and test unit has been unveiled at the Onomichi Marine Tech Test Centre (MTTC) in Japan. This full scale version of an EnergySail is an upgrade of the pre-production unit and represents one of the smaller types of EnergySail that will be put into commercial service. It was manuf...
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Aquarius Management & Automation System (MAS) and fuel monitoring system integrated for the first time onboard a ship.
Fukuoka, Japan – 4th September 2019 – Eco Marine Power (EMP) has recently taken another step forward towards creating its multi-vendor platform for onboard ship systems by completing the integration of its Aquarius Management & Automation System (MAS) with the onboard fuel monitoring system installed on the large general cargo ship, MV Panamana, owned by Singaporean carrier Masterbulk. Thi...
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New battery series now available for wide variety of applications including standby & emergency power.
Fukuoka, Japan – 9th July 2019 – Eco Marine Power (EMP) in cooperation with the Furukawa Battery Company of Japan (Furukawa Battery) are pleased to announce that the FCR series of high performance and recyclable batteries been accepted for use on classed or to be classed vessels with Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK). The FCR series of batteries will now be used as appropriate for EMP projects and supplied as rep...
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Integration of climate considerations into lending decisions will assist in shifting shipping to a more sustainable future.
Fukuoka, Japan – 19th June 2019 – Eco Marine Power (EMP) has applauded the recently announced introduction of the Poseidon Principles – a global framework for assessing and disclosing the climate alignment of financial institutions’ shipping portfolios. These principles will also have a strong emphasis on zero emissions and EMP’s renewable energy solutions and design concepts are ideally suit...
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Ship solar power system & associated equipment installed by crew whilst ship operated normally
Fukuoka, Japan – 24th May 2019 – Eco Marine Power (EMP) is pleased to announce its Aquarius MAS + Solar solution has been installed on the large general cargo ship MV Panamana. This installation was carried out by the ship’s crew with remote support provided by Zeaborn Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. and EMP from Japan. Over the next few weeks the solar power equipment will be integrated with EMP’s Aquarius Man...
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Portable fuel cell battery developed by Furukawa Battery can provide electricity for up to 5 days
Fukuoka, Japan – 7th March 2019 – In co-operation with Furukawa Battery Co., Ltd. (Furukawa Battery) and several ship owners, Eco Marine Power (EMP) is conducting an evaluation trial using the MgBOX fuel cell or air battery. These trials will help determine how this innovative emergency battery can be best stored and used on ships. Once this work is completed it is planned to make the MgBOX available for use worldwid...
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UltraBattery battery pack to be used for ship solar power system on large general cargo ship.
Fukuoka, Japan – 19th December 2018 – As part of a joint project with Masterbulk Pte. Ltd. (Masterbulk), Eco Marine Power (EMP) is pleased to announce that an UltraBattery® (UB) battery pack manufactured by the Furukawa Battery Company (Furukawa Battery) has been installed on the large general cargo ship – MV Panamana. This battery pack will later form part of an Aquarius Marine Solar Power solution developed by EMP and b...
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Technical co-operation focused on supporting sea trials and commercial production of wind and solar power system for ships.
Fukuoka, Japan - 6th November 2018 - In another significant move towards commercial release of the EnergySail®, Eco Marine Power (EMP) announced today that it has begun collaboration with ClassNK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai) to confirm design requirements and issues related to sea trials. The goal is to pave the way to the full commercial production of the EnergySail and thus complete the preparatio...
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Computer systems for sail-assisted propulsion and ship solar power
Fukuoka, Japan - 23rd October 2018 - As part of the ongoing strategy to prepare its EnergySail and Aquarius MRE for commercial release, Eco Marine Power (EMP) unveiled today further details of the automated control and monitoring systems. These enable EMP's technologies to integrate with existing ship-based systems. This will facilitate the seamless operation between EMP's renewable energy platforms with other equipment on ships including fue...
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5 year study conducted on-board ships, in test lab & at outdoor evaluation area
Fukuoka, Japan – 16th July 2018 – After an extensive study project, Eco Marine Power (EMP) has today released some of the key findings related to the use of solar power on ships and the selection and installation of related equipment. This study was carried out over a 5 year period and included: installation of a trial system on the high speed RoRo Ferry Blue Star Delos, several ship surveys, computer-aided analysis, plus evaluat...
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Tuesday, 17 July 2018 07:45
Hybrid marine power solutions including solar power save fuel, reduce pollution and are cost effective. Eco Marine Power is at the forefront of developing low emission & fuel saving solutions for ships, Our computer systems also provide a control interface between renewable energy & other systems on-board ships.
Eco Marine Power is at the forefront of providing innovative marine renewable energy technologies for shipping that harness the power of the sun & wind. These solutions include Aquarius MRE, EnergySail & Aquarius Marine Solar Power. These reduce fuel consumption, lower noxious gas emissions and deliver cost benefits.
Aquarius Management & Automation System or Aquarius MAS is a cost effective alarm handling, monitoring & data logging platform suitable for a wide range of ships. The system is based upon the reliable KEI 3240 Data Logger and is class approved. Aquarius MAS can also monitor fuel use & calculate vessel emissions.
Our design & consulting services include green ship & eco ship concept designs, renewable energy surveys, renewable energy systems design & consulting support for new ship and retrofit projects. We work with ship owners, ship managers and ship yards to develop the right renewable energy solution for their needs.
Teramoto Iron Works (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. 
on Lab is unique in that it develops and tests a wide range of equipment in a multi-vendor environment thereby allowing Eco Marine Power to provide solutions suited to ships ranging from small passenger ferries and tugboats to naval vessels, bulk ore carriers and cruise ships.
EnergySail Array on Aquarius Eco Ship
