MOL to Operate Japan’s First Icebreaker Arctic Research Ship
Japan’s first Arctic research vessel with full icebreaking capabilities is nearing completion. In preparation for the delivery of the vessel later this year and its first research trip in the summer of 2027, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) contracted with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines for the operation of the vessel named Mirai II.
Under the terms of the unique agreement, the shipping company will provide operational services and related work for Mirai II. Under the agreement, MOL will be responsible for operating the ship, which will serve as an international research platform
MOL reports it has been preparing to establish the operational framework for the Mirai II since it was provisionally selected in 2023 for the role as operator. As part of these preparations, in February, MOL conducted polar survival training for the seafarers scheduled to serve aboard the vessel. The training simulated emergency situations in extremely cold environments and included cold-water swimming exercises using immersion suits, drills for escaping from the sea onto ice, and outdoor activities on ice.
The naming and launching ceremony was held in March 2025 at the Japan Marine United (JMU) Corporation's Yokohama Works. Currently, outfitting work, including the installation of living quarters, observation equipment, electrical systems, and the engine room, is ongoing. The vessel has completed its first sea trials in preparation for the vessel's delivery on December 18, 2026.
JAMSTEC highlights that the 13,000 gross ton vessel is larger and more capable than the original Mirai, which was retired in December. The new ship is an icebreaker capable of continuously breaking flat, one-year ice up to a 1.2-meter thickness at a speed of 3 knots. The previous vessel was able to enter the Arctic Sea, making its northernmost transit in 2010.
The new ship is 128 meters (420 feet) in length. It has accommodations for up to 97 crew and scientists.
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Plans call for the new ship to conduct training and shakedown cruises before being placed on public display in April. MOL reports the first Arctic Ocean expedition is scheduled for next summer. It is scheduled to navigate across the Arctic Ocean in 2029, after trips to approach the North Pole in 2027 and 2028.
Japan highlights as a world leader in scientific research, and as a nation affected by climate change, such as increased snow and rising water levels, it has a responsibility to commit to scientific investigations into the changing environment of the Arctic. The new ship will be able to make observations of the ocean, weather, and atmospheric conditions. It will also be equipped for sonar surveys of the seafloor and to collect sediment samples. It will also have unmanned vehicles and underwater drones.
