On February 22, Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) announced that Japan’s first polar ice-breaking Arctic research vessel to be operated by the company was named Mirai II.
The vessel was ordered by Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) in 2021 as an Arctic research vessel at Marine United Corporation(JMU), and is being built at ISOGO WORKS-JMU, with delivery scheduled for 2026.
Last August, JAMSTEC selected，MOL Ship Management Co., Ltd. and MOL Marine & Engineering Co., Ltd., both wholly owned MOL subsidiaries, to serve as pre-commissioning crew dispatchers and expected operator for the new vessels.
The MOL Group said that it conducted an open call for the vessel’s name. After review by JAMSTEC and external experts, the name Mirai II was chosen from 7,075 applications, reflecting the vessel’s goal of contributing to the future of the Arctic region and thus the global environment.
It is understood that “Mirai II” is 128 meters in length, 23 meters in width, 8 meters in depth, with a gross tonnage of 13,000 tons, capable of sailing at a speed of 3 knots in 1.2-meter-thick ice, with a Polar Class 4 icebreaking capability and a crew of 99 people. The vessel is equipped with dual-fuel engines and can operate on LNG and fuel oil.
The vessel will be Japan’s first ice-breaking Arctic research vessel, and serve as an international research platform with world-class observation functions. The objectives are to contribute to the sustainable development, utilization, and conservation of the Arctic region by conducting comprehensive observations of the region’s atmosphere, meteorology, oceans, and sea ice and enhancing the collection of observational data and scientific knowledge, and to foster the development of researchers, engineers, and other highly skilled personnel.
The vessel, which is expected to cost about 33.5 billion yen ($232 million), will replace the diesel-powered research vessel Mirai for Arctic research activities in the summer.