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Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) has announced the launch of its hybrid car carrier Emerald Ace at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) shipyard in Kobe, Japan.

The Emerald Ace, designed to generate zero emissions while berthed, was designated as a project to reduce CO2 emissions from ocean-going vessels, and earned MOL a subsidy from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) in 2009.

The vessel, slated for delivery in June 2012, is set to be the world's first newly-delivered hybrid car carrier.

MOL said the vessel's hybrid system represents a significant step forward in realizing ISHIN-I - MOL's concept for the next-generation car carrier that it announced in September 2009.

The Emerald Ace will be equipped with a hybrid electric power supply system that combines a 160 Kilowatt (kW) solar generation system -jointly developed by MHI, Energy Company of Panasonic Group (the new energy device division of Sanyo Electric Group) and MOL - with lithium-ion batteries that can store some 2.2 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity.

Conventional power generation systems use diesel-powered generators to supply electricity on board while berthed. However, on the Emerald Ace, electricity will be generated by the solar power generation system while the vessel is under way and stored in the lithium-ion batteries.

The diesel-powered generator will be completely shut down when the ship is berthed, and the batteries will provide all the electricity it needs, resulting in zero emissions at the pier.

The "Solar Hybrid" logo is painted on the sides of the vessel near the stern to identify its hybrid system and the use of renewable energy.

The development of the vessel was subsidized by the MLIT as a project that develops systems to reduce CO2 emissions from ocean-going vessels. It is supported by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) as a cooperative development project to reduce greenhouse gases produced by ocean shipping.

"MOL continually takes a proactive stance in technological development with the aim of reducing the environmental burden of its vessels and operations," the company said.