Hitachi, MOL, and JAL launch Japan’s first direct ocean capture pilot
Hitachi, MOL, and JAL signed an MOU on August 4, 2026 to pilot direct ocean capture on Kume Island, Okinawa, aimed at producing synthetic jet fuel.
Photo by David McElwee on Pexels
Hitachi, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), and Japan Airlines (JAL) signed a memorandum of understanding on August 4, 2026 to run Japan’s first pilot test of direct ocean capture (DOC), a technology that separates and captures carbon dioxide dissolved in seawater. The test will take place on Kume Island in Okinawa Prefecture, using containerized pilot equipment installed on land that draws in, processes, and discharges seawater from the surrounding sea area.
How direct ocean capture works
Seawater naturally absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere until it reaches equilibrium with atmospheric concentrations. Direct ocean capture artificially strips CO2 out of that seawater, which disrupts the balance and prompts the ocean to pull in more CO2 from the air to compensate. According to MOL, the concentration of CO2 in seawater runs roughly 100 to 150 times higher than in the atmosphere, which the companies say makes ocean-based capture potentially cheaper and less energy-intensive than pulling CO2 directly from air.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| MOU signing date | August 4, 2026 |
| Pilot location | Kume Island, Okinawa Prefecture |
| CO2 concentration in seawater vs. atmosphere | ~100-150x higher |
| Underlying technology developer | Captura Corp. (U.S.-based) |
| Target end use of captured CO2 | Feedstock for E-SAF (synthetic aviation fuel) |
Why shipping and aviation are involved
Hitachi, MOL, and JAL each invested in Captura Corp., a U.S.-based DOC technology developer, through their respective investment arms, and have jointly explored bringing Captura’s technology to a domestic pilot in Japan. Shipping and aviation are both “hard-to-abate” sectors where electrification is difficult and companies increasingly rely on offsets and removal technologies rather than direct emissions cuts, a dynamic also shaping demand in voluntary carbon markets more broadly. MOL said establishing a domestic carbon-removal ecosystem is also meant to curb the future cost of importing carbon credits from overseas.
Each company has a defined role. Hitachi will use analytical instruments from Hitachi High-Tech to measure water quality and operating data, and plans to apply what it calls “Physical AI” to identify operating conditions that improve energy efficiency; it also aims to help build a measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) data platform for the resulting carbon credits. MOL will draw on an existing comprehensive partnership agreement with Kumejima Town to manage local stakeholder relations and prepare the pilot site. JAL, together with regional carriers Japan Transocean Air and Ryukyu Air Commuter, will lead outreach and awareness activities and evaluate DOC’s usefulness for future procurement of E-SAF made from the captured CO2.
Kume Island already hosts other ocean-based pilot projects, including Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) systems that generate power from the roughly 20-degree Celsius temperature difference between warm surface water and cold deep water, which the companies say gives the island a concentration of relevant marine-research expertise.
Background
MOL’s environmental strategy sits under its “BLUE ACTION 2035” group management plan, which positions the shipping company as an “ocean-based social infrastructure company” pursuing decarbonization. Hitachi’s sustainability strategy, called PLEDGES, is part of its “Inspire 2027” management plan and covers seven pillars including decarbonization and resource circulation. JAL has identified carbon dioxide removal as a priority under its “JAL Group Management Vision 2035” Green Transformation strategy. The three companies describe the Kume Island pilot as an early step toward what they call an island-based, self-sufficient carbon economy, with the next milestone being the operational and environmental data the test generates on Okinawa’s coast.
Sources: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines; Carbon Herald
Featured image: photo by David McElwee on Pexels (free Pexels license).
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I specialize in sustainability education, curriculum co-creation, and early-stage project strategy. At WINSS, I craft articles on sustainability, transformative AI, and related topics. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me chasing the perfect sushi roll, exploring cities around the globe, or unwinding with my dog Puffy — the world’s most loyal sidekick.
