Completion of Wind Challenger Carrier Ship
On October 7, 2022, the first vessel of the Wind Challenger Project was completed, and was named “Shofu Maru”. After the ceremony, she set out on her maiden voyage to Australia, watched over by President Higuchi from Tohoku Electric Power Company, President Hashimoto from MOL, and other related personnel. Our CEO also attended the ceremony and saw the ship off.
The Wind Challenger Project began in 2009 as a joint industry-university research project (JIP) with the University of Tokyo. The project has continued until 2017 with the participation of many other universities and companies along the way.
On this occasion as a project representative, we would like to reflect on the journey and appreciate the people involved throughout the research as listed below. (Participating institutions and titles are as of 2017)
Project Management Institutes
- Dept. of Ocean Technology, Policy and Environment, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo:
Kazuyuki Ouchi (Project researcher) as a Project representative ,
Takuji Waseda (Professor),
Yasuo Yoshimura (Project researcher) - Research into Artifacts, Center for Engineering, The University of Tokyo
Katsuyuki Suzuki (Professor)
Members of Joint Industry Program (JIP)
Organizations of R&D
- GH Craft Ltd.
- ACT
- North Sails Japan
- Fluid Techno Co., Ltd.
- IKNOW MACHINERY CO., LTD.
- Kanazawa Institute of Technology
Kiyoshi Uzawa（Professor) as a Deputy representative - Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
Yoshiaki Kunieda（Professor)
