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Japan's Eco Marine Power (EMP) announced today that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Malaysian firm AIMS Global Engineering (AIMS) to market and develop renewable energy solutions for shipping.

Initially, the companies will focus on a project to complete the detailed design of the Medaka eco-commuter ferry with the aim to start marketing the solar-electric urban passenger ferry across the Asia-Pacific Region later this year.

The Medaka eco-commuter ferry will incorporate a range of technologies including hybrid marine propulsion, a data management system, Lithium-ion storage modules and a solar array incorporating flexible solar panels.

Mohammed Tarmizi, CEO of AIMS Global Engineering said: "This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will promote and strengthen a friendly relation between our two companies, leading to a closer partnership and collaboration between AIMS Global Engineering and Eco Marine Power”

He added: "AIMS are very pleased to be supporting Eco Marine Power in their move towards utilising marine renewable energy. The knowledge that we will amass and the skills to be acquired will provide us a unique insight as to what is feasible and achievable. It will add value to our understanding and enhance our capacity for harnessing and promoting renewable energy in the offshore marine industry."

Greg Atkinson of Eco Marine Power commented: "This agreement with AIMS-Global Engineering is a major step forward for Eco Marine Power in terms of bringing our solutions to the market in Asia. We look forward to working with AIMS as a strategic partner in developing our existing solutions plus coming up with new renewable energy and low emission solutions for shipping in the years ahead."

Eco Marine Power and AIMS Global Engineering will also co-operate on a project to incorporate a renewable energy solution onto an existing offshore support vessel and explore the possibility of working together during the sea trials of EMP’s Aquarius MRE System and EnergySail technologies.