The Japanese shipping group Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) has announced that the company will make a move toward commercializing an offshore rocket launch and recovery vessel through a partnership agreement with Innovative Space Carrier, Inc. (ISC) and TSUNEISHI SOLUTIONS TOKYOBAY Co., Ltd. (former company name: Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding Co., Ltd).

This offshore rocket launch and recovery vessel project originated from the MOL Group’s new business proposal program, the “MOL Incubation Bridge,” designed to encourage employees to foster ideas for new businesses.

The company has initiated a full-scale exploration into participation in space-related ventures.

The partnership group is aiming for commercialization around 2030, and its first step will be to develop a recovery vessel, followed by a feasibility study of the commercialization of an offshore launch vessel.

By successfully developing and introducing such vessels, MOL aims to contribute to the development of a new space infrastructure that utilizes the ocean and supports next-generation space transport.

In this project, MOL will collaborate with ISC and TSUNEISHI SOLUTIONS TOKYOBAY to realize offshore rocket launch and recovery, with the aim of increasing the frequency of rocket launches.