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MOL Partners in Direct Ocean Carbon Capture

[ August 7, 2026   //   ]

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), Hitachi Ltd. and Japan Airlines (JAL) will conduct Japan’s first pilot project using Direct Ocean Capture (DOC) technology, testing a process that removes dissolved carbon dioxide directly from seawater with the goal of supporting future low-carbon fuel production.

The companies signed a memorandum of understanding to carry out the pilot on Kume Island, Okinawa, using a containerized, land-based system that will draw in seawater, separate dissolved CO2 and return the treated water to the ocean.

Unlike conventional direct air capture systems, DOC targets carbon already dissolved in seawater. Because the ocean naturally maintains equilibrium with atmospheric carbon dioxide, removing CO2 from seawater encourages the ocean to absorb additional CO2 from the atmosphere. The partners said seawater contains roughly 100 to 150 times the concentration of carbon dioxide found in air, offering the potential for lower-cost, lower-energy carbon removal.

The project is intended to establish baseline operational and environmental data for deploying the technology along Japan’s coastline while evaluating its role in building a domestic carbon removal industry.

The initiative is aimed at helping decarbonize “hard-to-abate” sectors such as shipping and aviation, where alternatives to conventional fuels remain limited. The partners ultimately envision using captured carbon dioxide as a feedstock to produce synthetic fuels, including electric sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF).

The three companies have previously invested in U.S.-based Direct Ocean Capture developer Captura Corp. and said the pilot represents the next step toward commercial deployment of the technology in Japan.

Under the agreement, Hitachi will monitor system performance, seawater quality and carbon capture data while applying AI to optimize plant operations. MOL will coordinate the pilot with local stakeholders through its existing partnership with Kumejima Town, and JAL will evaluate the technology’s potential to support future e-SAF procurement while leading public outreach activities.

The companies said the project could also support development of Japan’s emerging Blue Economy by creating new uses for captured carbon dioxide and reducing future reliance on imported carbon credits.

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