A floating IT center and power plant combined will be built in Turkey on a Japanese hull equipped with processors from around the world. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and Kinetics signed an agreement in July of this year to build this innovative IT center. MOL is one of the world’s leading shipping companies and will also operate the FSRU terminal in Gdańsk. Kinetics is a global leader in the operation of floating power plants.

Using existing ship systems and patented Powership units, the solution will ensure complete operational independence for the IT center. This innovative floating data center platform will be developed by Kinetics and the Japanese company MOL. It is emphasized that using a used ship to build the IT center and power plant will reduce environmental impact and accelerate construction time.

The first Floating Data Center project is scheduled to be implemented as early as 2027. It is worth taking a closer look, as it could be an ideal solution for Szczecin or Świnoujście. In Gdańsk, a supercomputer is already operating at the Gdańsk University of Technology.

It is emphasized that this will be a joint project. The two companies will collaborate on the design, construction, and implementation of a state-of-the-art data center, which will be built on a modernized ship. The facility will be powered by an independent, dedicated system utilizing a range of flexible power sources. This will primarily be the Powership, developed by Karpowership.

Floating Ship Power Plants

Mehmet Katmer, CEO of Kinetics, said after the contract signing: “By combining mobile energy generation with floating data infrastructure, we are solving critical market challenges while enabling faster, cleaner, and more flexible expansion of digital assets.” Power from onshore grids, onshore solar farms, and offshore wind farms is also planned. Other energy sources will also be available. Everything will depend on the ship’s location and the client’s expectations. Karpowership, a pioneer in integrated floating energy solutions, has over twenty years of operational experience and over 10,000 MW of installed capacity in 19 countries.

Aysegul Sultan Power Plant. Source: Kinetics

Power plants are fully autonomous units that generate electricity. They are built from converted vessels, although they can also be built from scratch. They are currently operated under the Karpowership brand. The fleet of these vessels numbered over 35 units in 2025. They generate electricity from heavy fuel oil and liquefied natural gas (LPG).
Some power plants offer dual-fuel systems. Each currently in service provides output ranging from 30 MW to 470 MW. The total fleet capacity currently exceeds 10 GW. Power is generated using medium-speed diesel engines or gas turbines in the case of LPG-powered vessels.

The ship features fuel tanks and exhaust gas cleaning equipment. Both air and seawater cooling systems are used. The ships are currently equipped with the necessary integrated switchgear, transformers, and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems. This ensures the ship’s power supply system is compatible with the power grid. The primary use is expected to be supplementary and emergency power supply to existing grids.

MOL management emphasizes that this partnership combines Kinetics’ expertise in mobile energy infrastructure with MOL’s extensive logistics capabilities in the maritime and offshore sectors. This is a response from two operators focused on implementing innovations to the rapidly growing demand for IT services.

MOL’s History of Innovation

MOL has been operating in the maritime transport market for 140 years. Since the early 20th century, the company has focused on technical innovations and innovative solutions. For example, in 1912, the largest passenger and cargo ship at the time, the Kurenai Maru, was introduced to the Seto service, connecting Hanshin and Kyushu. In the 1930s, the ultra-fast Kinai Maru, a vessel of its time, was used for cargo transportation. It completed the Yokohama-New York route in approximately 25 days, compared to an average voyage of 10 days.

In 1961, the Kinkasan Maru, the world’s first fully automated vessel, operated entirely from the bridge, was launched. In 1968, the Oppama Maru, Japan’s first specialized car carrier, entered service. In 1983, the first Japanese methanol carrier, the Kohzan Maru, was launched.

In the 21st century, the company began to distinguish itself by introducing innovative vessels to its fleet. For example, in 2010, the new MOL Technology Research Center opened. The same year, the first FPSO (Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading Units) was launched. The world’s first large ethane carrier, the Ethane Crystal, enters service in 2016. A year later, the MOL Triumph, one of the world’s largest container ships, is launched. One of the largest, the MOL FSRU Challenger, is being delivered from the shipyard.

One of the world’s largest container ships, with a capacity of 20,000 TEU, the MOL Truth, received the 2017 Ship of the Year award. MOL also added the Shofu Maru, the world’s first cargo ship equipped with Hard Sails, and the Wind Challenger vessel to its fleet. The Sunflower Kurenai/Murasaki is Japan’s first LNG-powered ferry, equipped with a dual-fuel engine. The Reimei is the world’s first large bulk carrier powered by LNG. This ship will transport imported coal to Japanese coal-fired power plants. In 2024, the Cerulean Ace, a PCC (Pure Carrier) from the BLUE Series, powered by LNG, was delivered. Another MOL FSRU will soon arrive in Gdańsk.

Cyber-ship

A particularly innovative ship of the 21st century will be a floating platform with a computing center. The operator emphasizes that it “is intended to provide a scalable, mobile alternative to traditional land-based data centers.” Its key advantage is energy independence, overcoming challenges related to energy supply constraints, land shortages, and permitting delays.

“This project represents a significant step towards realizing our vision at Kinetics: providing innovative, efficient, and sustainable infrastructure solutions that meet today’s and tomorrow’s energy needs,” said Mehmet Katmer, CEO of Kinetics, after signing the agreement with MOL.

Tomoaki Ichida, Managing Director of MOL, said that the agreement represents a significant step forward in leveraging the MOL Group’s assets and extensive experience in ship operations to rapidly build digital infrastructure while minimizing environmental impact.

“In the future, we will continue to develop a diverse portfolio of social infrastructure companies focused on the shipping industry. Through the development of our technologies and services, we are committed to proactively responding to society’s evolving needs, including the need to protect the environment,” he emphasized.

MOL emphasizes in its announcement that the agreement represents the first dedicated collaboration between the companies aimed at delivering sustainable solutions in the digital era. The work schedule anticipates completion of the offshore data center conversion project, signing an agreement with the data center operator and the port authority that will enable the vessel’s berthing, by 2025.

Work on converting the used vessel into an offshore data center, obtaining permits and licenses, and concluding commercial agreements is scheduled to begin in 2026. Following the successful completion of feasibility studies and ongoing technical development, the first Floating Data Center project is expected to be implemented in 2027.