Four prominent Japanese maritime organizations—Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE), Kyokuyo Shipyard Corporation, Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., and Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine&Engineering—have joined the collaborative cross-industry Digital Twin Project, marking its third phase, according to ClassNK's release.
The initiative, announced on February 25, aims to establish a secure data-sharing framework between shipyards and shipowners, advancing digital twin adoption throughout a ship’s lifecycle to improve operational efficiency and safety.
The Digital Twin Project, involving detailed discussions on sharing sensitive design and operational data, targets overcoming barriers to digital twin implementation.
The project seeks to develop a platform for securely sharing 3D models created during ship design and feeding operational data back to shipyards, potentially creating new revenue streams for stakeholders.
Existing participants include major shipowners Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), NYK Group company MTI Co. Ltd. (“MTI”), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL), Marubeni Corporation (Marubeni), and Marubeni Group company MMSL Japan Ltd., alongside shipbuilders Imabari Shipbuilding, Japan Marine United Corporation, and Usuki Shipyard, software provider NAPA, and classification society ClassNK.
The project, initiated in 2023, builds on early successes, identifying 30 use cases for data sharing. NAPA’s 200 experts, operating in nine countries, and ClassNK’s 3,000 employees worldwide, enhance the collaboration, targeting a $2 billion digital transformation market in shipping by 2030. Japanese shipbuilders face a 12% rise in digital investment in 2024, driven by decarbonization.
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) is a Japanese shipping company, part of the Kawasaki Group, headquartered in Tokyo, operating a fleet of over 500 vessels, focusing on bulk carriers, containerships, and LNG transport.
Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. is a Japanese shipbuilding and marine engineering company, part of Mitsui & Co., headquartered in Tokyo, constructing bulk carriers, tankers, and LNG vessels, integrated into the Tsuneishi Group since 2024.
Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine&Engineering is a Japanese marine engineering and shipbuilding firm, part of Sumitomo Heavy Industries, headquartered in Tokyo, specializing in offshore vessels, propulsion systems, and digital maritime technologies.
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) is a Japanese shipping company, headquartered in Tokyo, one of the world’s largest, operating over 800 vessels and focusing on container shipping, car carriers, and bulk transport.
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) is a Japanese shipping company, headquartered in Tokyo, operating approximately 800 vessels, focusing on LNG carriers, bulk carriers, and container shipping, with a strong digitalization focus.
Marubeni Corporation (Marubeni) is a Japanese trading and investment conglomerate, headquartered in Tokyo, with marine transport interests through its subsidiary MMSL Japan Ltd., focusing on global logistics and ship management.
Imabari Shipbuilding is a Japanese shipbuilding company, headquartered in Imabari, the largest in Japan by tonnage, specializing in bulk carriers, containerships, and eco-friendly vessels, including digital twin projects.
NAPA is a Finnish software and digital services provider, headquartered in Helsinki, specializing in maritime digital solutions, including digital twins for ship design, safety, and efficiency, with 200 employees globally.
ClassNK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai) is a Japanese classification society, established in 1899, headquartered in Tokyo, providing certification, surveys, and digital transformation services for over 9,000 ships worldwide, with 3,000 employees.