On October 30, 2020, Kansai Electric Power (KEPCO, Headquarters: Osaka Prefecture) and e5 Lab (Headquarters: Tokyo)[1], a Japanese electrically powered vessel developer, announced that they had agreed to form a partnership for the joint development and promotion of Urban Water Mobility Project, which would utilize electrically powered vessels to provide improved transportation options in the Kansai Bay area.
KEPCO and e5 Lab will develop and promote the electrification and automation of vessels to help resolve transportation challenges such as labor shortages and the need to achieve zero emission goals.
e5 Lab will contribute to the development of next generation electrically powered vessels that achieve both sustainability and comfort, and that can be used for multiple purposes, such as transportation and entertainment. KEPCO will be responsible for developing a two-way wireless charging and discharging system for electrically powered vessels. If successful, the partnership will be the first in Japan to install such systems on a vessel.
Electrically powered vessels offer several unique benefits, including reduced emissions, noise, and vibrations compared with traditional vessels. They also offer larger space, since the vessel does not need an engine room. In addition, KEPCO’s battery will provide efficient charging and will require less frequent maintenance. The batteries installed in the vessels can also be used to supply electricity in an emergency.
KEPCO and e5 Lab aim to contribute to the sustainable development of Japanese shipping industry through offering electrically powered vessels to governments and businesses in the future.[2][3]
*The video clip on KEPCO’s electrically powered vessels for Urban Water Mobility Project can be accessed from the following URL.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/SIkRpsqyBMA?enablejsapi=1&feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&vq=hd720
[2] https://www.kepco.co.jp/corporate/pr/2020/1030_3j.html
[3] https://www.kepco.co.jp/corporate/pr/2020/pdf/1030_3j_01.pdf