Accelerating Ocean/Global Environmental Conservation Using Merchant Vessels 

Marusumi Paper Co., (President: Tomoyuki Hoshikawa,  and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Junichiro Ikeda)  announced to install a microplastic ^(*1) collection device, which is under joint development by MOL and Miura Co., Ltd. (President: Daisuke Miyauchi; Headquarters: Matsuyama-shi, Ehime Prefecture), on a newbuilding woodchip carrier that will be delivered in 2022 and sail under Charter contract with Marusumi Paper. The first device was installed for a demonstration test announced on October 27, 2020 ^{(Note 2)}. Since then, it has been installed on three bulk carriers, making this wood chip carrier the fifth vessel so equipped.

It is usual that the microplastics have been captured by the filter within the ballast water treatment system and discharged overboard. In order to collect the microplastics, the microplastic collection device has been installed and enable to collect the microplastics through this device. The performance of the devise has been confirmed as per designed through the demonstration test, making the device to be able to collect tens of thousands of microplastics per vessel annually.

Marusumi Paper states, “We strive to protect our global environment” in its management philosophy, and it places a high value on monozukuri (manufacturing) in harmony with the environment. The company works tirelessly on an endless quest to promote resource recycling and worldwide efforts to address environmental and social issues.

MOL aims to make the ocean clean and achieve resource recycling by installing the microplastic collection device on more vessels and recycling the collected microplastics. In addition, MOL as a global shipping company, will be promoting the conservation of marine and global environment proactively.

Miura works to protect the maritime and global environment through development and sales of its ballast water treatment system (cumulative total units sold as of end FY2020: 1,200), which was launched in 2014, as well as this microplastics collection device.

Schematic view of microplastic collection device and piping 

(Note 1) The term “microplastics” refers to 5mm or smaller micro-size plastic particles resulting from discarded plastic in the ocean that is broken down by ultraviolet rays and wave.