The “Reality” I Saw Where The Ocean and Future Technology Intersect

In 2026, I visited SEA JAPAN. This exhibition is a gathering place for the latest innovations in shipbuilding, marine equipment, communications, environmental technology, and other maritime-related fields.

It was not merely an exhibition space, but a place where one could glimpse the direction of the future—encompassing everything from “how we will use the ocean in the years to come” and “the role of ships” to “the future of social infrastructure.”

During this visit, I was able to get a clearer sense of the current state of marine technology and its future potential through various booths and seminars.

*Some of the images in this article are photographs of materials distributed at the venue, used for illustrative purposes. The copyrights to these materials belong to the respective companies.

◾️Technology for Producing Water from Seawater Sasakura Engineering Co.,Ltd.

Sasakura Engineering Co.,Ltd. is a Japanese manufacturer specializing in seawater desalination equipment and heat exchange technology. The company is renowned for its technologies in water treatment and thermal energy utilization across the shipbuilding, power generation, and environmental sectors, and supplies its products to ships and plants both domestically and internationally.

At this booth, we learned about seawater desalination systems that can be installed on ships.

This technology for converting seawater into drinking water is already in practical use and has established itself as an “invisible infrastructure” that supports long-distance voyages and offshore operations.

Inspired by the philosophy that “water should not be transported from elsewhere, but generated on-site,” the company began manufacturing water-making systems for ships in 1951, just two years after its founding in 1949. Today, it reportedly holds the No. 1 market

share in Asia.

In addition, the company has developed a large-scale seawater desalination plant in Saudi Arabia, a region with limited water resources, and has supplied its products there.

◾️From “Building” Ships to “Solving” Problems

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co.,Ltd.

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., a major Japanese heavy industry manufacturer, responsible for its shipbuilding operations. The company designs, builds, and repairs merchant ships, passenger ships, and defense vessels.

[Seminar: “Pioneering the Future on the High Seas: Mitsubishi Shipbuilding's Business and Products”]

What struck me most about this seminar was that Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has already transcended the boundaries of a “shipbuilding company.”

The company is currently evolving into a business model centered on “engineering-driven solutions,” with shipbuilding and engineering serving as its two pillars.

1. Environmental Initiatives and New Fuels

The initiatives aimed at achieving a decarbonized society were very concrete.

・FGSS (Fuel Gas Supply System) for LNG-fueled vessels

・“MAmmoSS” for ammonia-fueled vessels

・LCO2 carriers and onboard recovery systems compatible with CO2 transport and capture (CCUS)

These are not merely research projects; they are technologies that have already entered the demonstration and implementation phase.

2. “Commercialization of Shipbuilding” Through Digital Transformation

What was even more interesting was the conversion of shipbuilding expertise into software.

・3D Engineering System of Ships “MATES”

・Power Prediction and Lines Selection System ”MiPoLin®”

・Navigation Support System “Navin'”

In other words, this means the company has evolved from a “shipbuilder” to a “provider of the very mechanisms that make ships function.”

3. Outlook for the Future

I was also impressed by how the project, such as the collaborative initiative with the Tokyo University of the Arts titled “Marine Futurism,” ventures not only into the realm of technology but also into that of “creative thinking.”

◾️A Demonstration Site Based at The Port

Marine Open Innovation Institute (General Incorporated Foundation)

Marine Open Innovation Institute (MaO Institute) is an open innovation promotion organization in the marine sector established in 2019 with 100% funding from Shizuoka Prefecture. It aims to realize a “Blue Economy” that balances the promotion of marine industries with the conservation of the marine environment by utilizing marine resources and Blue Tech, primarily in Suruga Bay.

At this booth, we were able to see the process by which marine technologies are implemented in society through initiatives centered on Shimizu Port.

“Companies, local governments, and research institutions will collaborate to utilize the port itself as a testing ground.”

What I realized here is that “the future cannot be achieved by the ship alone.”

Ship technology is not something that exists in isolation. It is only by being welcomed into ports, connecting with urban life and industry, and being supported by systems and regulations that it truly becomes useful within society.

The initiatives at Shimizu Port gave me the sense that the first steps have already begun.

◾️The Future of Imabari, The Maritime City

Talk Session Commemorating the 2027 Bali Shipbuilding Event: “Creating the Future of Imabari, a Maritime City”

This session focused not merely on industry, but on the question of “how to shape the city itself.”

1. From B2B to B2C

While the maritime industry has traditionally been focused on business-to-business interactions, it is now evolving into an industry that is open to the general public and children.

・Shipyard Tours

・Crane Operation Experience

・Educational Events

This could be described as a movement to bring the ocean closer to people’s lives.

2. Reconnecting the Sea and the City

There was also talk of a plan to integrate the port with residential areas, much like in a Nordic port city.

・A blend of offices, residences, and commercial spaces in the harbor area

・An environment that brings work and home closer together

・Urban design that keeps people coming together

This is not merely about infrastructure; it is a redesign of the ocean as a place where people live.

3. People and the Future

We could sense a strong commitment to nurturing the talent that will shape the future, through initiatives such as partnerships with educational institutions and community-led revitalization projects.

Finally, the message emphasized the importance of taking a proactive stance—rather than waiting for change—by actively pursuing new initiatives based on the principles of DX (digital transformation) and GX (environmental sustainability).

I felt that this was a message applicable to the entire Japanese maritime industry.

◾️Maritime Communications are Entering an Era of “Prerequisites”

KDDI CORPORATION

KDDI Corporation is one of Japan’s leading comprehensive telecommunications providers, offering a wide range of services—including fixed-line communications, internet services, and ICT solutions—centered around its mobile brand “au.” The company supports telecommunications infrastructure both in Japan and overseas, and is driving the development of a digital society through investments in 5G, AI, and digital transformation (DX).

[Seminar: “New Horizons in Maritime Communications and Security Opened by Starlink”]

With the advent of Starlink, maritime communications are shifting from being a “limitation” to a “given.”

1. How Communications Are Changing the Role of Ships

・Digital transformation on board through high-speed communication

・The foundation for autonomous navigation

・Improving the living environment for crew members

What struck me most was that telecommunications are not merely a matter of convenience, but rather a means of addressing the industrial challenge of labor shortages itself.

2. Security is a must

On the other hand, cyberattacks have already become a real threat, and we have moved beyond the question of “whether or not to take countermeasures” to a point where doing so is simply a given.

・GPS jamming

・Supply chain attacks

・Internal device risks

Furthermore, under IACS Regulation “UR E26,” cyber resilience (the ability to maintain functionality even after an attack) is a prerequisite for new ships.

3. Integrated Land-Sea Operations

There are limits to what a ship can do on its own, so integrated operations that combine surveillance and support from land are essential.

KDDI presented a framework that integrates communications, security, and operations to support “secure digital vessels.”

◾️Summary

My takeaway from this year’s SEA JAPAN is very simple: The future is already here.

・Water can be produced

・Ships are evolving

・Ports have been proven effective

・Communications are always connected

However, these initiatives still exist in isolation. How can we bring these technologies and initiatives together? And how can we integrate them into society and turn them into practical, effective systems?

I felt that it is precisely by confronting that question that we will determine the future potential of the ocean.

This visit was a time that showed me that the future of the ocean is not just a “concept,” but a “reality that is already taking shape.”

Sources

・Sasakura Engineering Co.,Ltd.：　https://www.sasakura.co.jp/en ・Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co.,Ltd.：　https://www.mhi.com/jp/group/mhimsb/

・Marine Open Innovation Institute (General Incorporated Foundation)：　https://maoi-i.jp/ ・Bariship 2027：　https://www.bariship.com/ ・KDDI CORPORATION：　https://www.kddi.com/english/