Hitachi, MOL, and JAL Launch Japan's First Direct Ocean Capture Pilot on Kume Island

Hitachi, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), and Japan Airlines (JAL) have signed a memorandum of understanding to launch Japan's first pilot test of Direct Ocean Capture (DOC) technology. The trial will take place on Kume Island in Okinawa Prefecture, marking the country's first attempt to pull carbon dioxide directly from seawater at a coastal, real-world scale.

The pilot uses containerized equipment installed on land, drawing in surrounding seawater to separate and capture dissolved CO2. The goal is to gather baseline data on how the technology performs and how it affects the coastal environment before any wider rollout.

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Kume Island was chosen partly because it already hosts marine research and clean energy projects, including Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion systems that generate power from temperature differences in seawater. That existing expertise gives the DOC trial a head start on infrastructure and local know-how.

Why Seawater Holds an Edge Over Air

Seawater holds far more CO2 than air, with concentrations roughly 100 to 150 times higher than in the atmosphere. Pulling carbon out of that dense medium, then letting the ocean re-absorb more from the air to restore balance, is what makes DOC an appealing alternative to direct air capture.

Turning Captured Carbon Into Aviation Fuel

All three partners have previously invested in Captura, a Pasadena, California-based direct ocean capture developer, through their own venture arms. This pilot marks their first joint step toward bringing Captura's technology into commercial use in Japan.

Beyond validating the capture process itself, the group plans to explore how the recovered CO2 could work as a feedstock, most notably for producing synthetic aviation fuel known as E-SAF. JAL is expected to evaluate the fuel for future procurement once volumes scale up.

Dividing the Work Across Three Sectors

Each company brings a different piece to the project. Hitachi will handle data collection and analysis, measuring water chemistry and energy use to help build a measurement, reporting, and verification framework for future carbon credits.

MOL is drawing on its existing partnership with Kumejima Town to line up local stakeholders and get the pilot site ready. JAL, working alongside its regional partner airlines serving Kume Island, will lead outreach and public education around the project.

The initiative also fits into each company's own climate roadmap: Hitachi's sustainability strategy PLEDGES, MOL's BLUE ACTION 2035 environmental plan, and JAL's Green Transformation strategy all list carbon removal as a priority area.

A Push Toward Domestic Carbon Removal

The project reflects a broader strategic goal in Japan, building a homegrown carbon removal supply chain instead of relying on carbon credits purchased overseas. Shipping and aviation are both considered hard to abate sectors, since neither can fully decarbonize through electrification alone.

If the Kume Island trial proves the model works, the partners hope it becomes a blueprint for an island-based, self-sufficient carbon economy where captured CO2 feeds directly into local fuel production.

About Hitachi

Hitachi operates across digital systems, energy, mobility, and connective industries worldwide, reporting FY2025 revenue of 10,586.7 billion yen and roughly 290,000 employees globally.

About MOL

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines is one of the world's largest shipping companies, operating more than 900 vessels including dry bulk carriers, LNG carriers, and tankers, alongside terminal, logistics, and offshore wind businesses.

About JAL

Japan Airlines was founded in 1951 and, as a member of the oneworld alliance, operates a network covering 413 airports in 71 countries together with its codeshare partners.