Seven major Japanese shipbuilding and shipping companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to create a shared “standard design framework” for liquefied CO₂ carriers and alternative-fuel vessels using the unified platform MILES Co., Ltd., according to their joint statement.
The signatories are Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, Imabari Shipbuilding, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (“K” Line), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line), Japan Marine United (JMU) and Nihon Shipyard (NSY).
Under the MoU, MILES — formerly MI LNG — will prepare baseline designs for LCO₂ carriers and ships using alternative fuels, including ammonia. Japanese shipyards will then be able to apply these common designs in production projects to build identical vessels in parallel at multiple sites and bring them to market faster.
The companies said they plan to involve more domestic shipyards to ensure “competitive development and initial design” and support the rollout of technologies for a low-carbon fleet.
“K” Line, MOL and NYK Line will invest in MILES to expand cross-industry cooperation and enable multi-yard construction, while JMU and NSY will also take stakes to promote broad adoption of standard designs.
Financial terms and target vessel capacities were not disclosed.
The agreement builds on research launched in August 2024 by the same companies to define standard specifications for LCO₂ carriers and develop a domestic production chain, while also examining similar approaches for alternative-fuel vessels.
MILES succeeds MI LNG, a 2013 joint venture between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Imabari Shipbuilding focused on LNG carrier design. The company expanded its scope in 2023 through an agreement with Nihon Shipyard and adopted the MILES name on Jan. 1, 2025.
