News Releases in 2008
March 7, 2008
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK; head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; president: Koji Miyahara) has provided free sea transport for the revolutionary wave-powered vessel of Japanese solo yachtsman Kenichi Horie.
The innovative environment-friendly vessel, named Suntory Mermaid II, is solely propelled by the power of ocean waves. Further, the vessel generates its own electricity through solar energy. Successful testing of an innovative propulsion system has this vessel set to become the first practical wave-powered vessel in the world. The tests were conducted by Professor Yutaka Terao of the School of Marine Science and Technology at Tokai University, and were funded through the NYK-Heyerdahl commemorative projects.
For his voyage on the vessel, the world-famous yachtsman is set to sail from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Osaka, Japan. In recognition of the fact that Horie stresses environmental preservation during his voyages - a mind-set shared by NYK - the company decided to support Horie by providing free sea transport of his vessel to Honolulu.
Suntory Mermaid II was shipped on the NYK containership Izumo, which departed from Yokohama on February 22 and arrived in Honolulu on March 1. Horie’s vessel was then transported overland to the Hawaii Yacht Club, from where Horie will set sail on March 16.
Horie's final destination is Kii Suido, Japan, which is located at the gateway to the port of Osaka. The intrepid yachtsman is looking to complete the 6,000-plus kilometer voyage by May.
NYK wishes Horie a safe and successful voyage.
Profile of Suntory Mermaid II
| Length Overall | 9.46m |
|---|---|
| Beam | 3.49m |
| Draft | 1.50m |
| Maximum Capacity | 5 people |
| Shipbuilder | Tsuneishi Forestry Construction Company (head office: Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan) |
Kenichi Horie (September 8, 1938 - )
Kenichi Horie is a 69-year-old world-renowned solo yachtsman who has completed nonstop around-the-world solo voyages in both directions. He has also sailed solo from Salinas, Ecuador, to Tokyo, without any stopovers, in a solar-powered boat made from recycled aluminum. Further, he has sailed from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge (between the islands of Honshu and Awaji near Kobe in Hyogo prefecture) in a boat made primarily of recycled materials, including beer kegs.
NYK-Heyerdahl Commemorative Projects
NYK established the NYK-Heyerdahl commemorative projects after receiving the Thor Heyerdahl International Maritime Environmental Award in May 2005. These projects are funded using the cash prize of US$100,000 (about 10 million yen) that accompanied the award, and an additional contribution of 40 million yen made by NYK. The projects involve such activities as study, research, and the fostering of human resources relevant to maritime environmental preservation.
