Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) teams up with Karadeniz, the world’s only private power ship company, to tackle Africa’s electricity challenges. In addition to ongoing power ship projects in Senegal and Mozambique, a next-generation Floating Data Center (FDC) concept is now underway. A new challenge has begun —delivering both power and data from the sea.
(This article is based on a blog post published on our “MOL Africa” website, which features our Africa-related businesses and initiatives. For details, please refer to the end of this article.)
In October, the 28th Japan-Turkey Joint Economic Committee, organized by Keidanren and DEIK—economic organizations of Japan and Turkey—was held in Istanbul. From MOL, President Hashimoto participated and delivered a presentation titled “Joint Projects with Turkey in Third-Country Markets”, introducing the power ship business in Africa conducted through a joint venture between MOL and Turkey’s Karadeniz.
Currently, this JV operates power ship projects in Senegal and Mozambique.
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Karadeniz, the world’s only private power ship company, owns about 40 power ships. MOL, through the joint venture, is responsible for co-owning power ships and operating FSRUs (Floating Storage and Regasification Units), which serve as the fuel supply line for gas-fueled projects.
One of Karadeniz’s strengths lies in having multiple power ships on standby, ready for immediate deployment. While many countries around the world face electricity shortages, building new onshore power plants requires massive capital investment as well as long periods for surveys, preparation, and construction. In contrast, by utilizing standby power ships, electricity can be supplied in as little as three months. Customers pay through an electricity tariff scheme, eliminating the need for large upfront investments. This is an ideal solution for regions that urgently need power.
In addition, MOL and Karadeniz introduced their jointly marketed FDC (Floating Data Center) business. As global demand for data centers continues to rise, FDCs offer advantages over land-based facilities in terms of securing locations, access to cooling water, and reducing initial investment costs. Furthermore, in cases where securing onshore power is difficult, FDCs can be operated together with power ships.
MOL’s strength in the FDC business lies in its ability to easily procure aging vessels for conversion into FDCs. The most suitable ships for large-scale FDCs are car carriers with multiple decks, which already provide wide, durable floor space for installing data servers. Few shipping companies operate car carriers, but MOL boasts one of the world’s largest fleets and regularly retires such vessels. Converting aging ships into FDCs instead of scrapping them is both economically sound and environmentally friendly.
Technical challenges for FDCs have largely been resolved. The remaining hurdles are securing customers and obtaining permits for ports where installations will be located—once these are cleared, realization is within reach.
This article is based on the blog post “Business Expansion in Africa through Partnership with a Turkish Company,” published on “MOL Africa.” It showcases MOL's business operations in Africa, its African locations, its history in Africa, media coverage, press releases, blogs by MOL employees working in the region, and more. A newsletter subscription is available. Sign up today to stay informed and connected!
As of the end of March 2025, MOL’s major bases span 27 countries. We continue to take on challenges across all regions.