About MODE

Maritime logistics by ship supports people’s lives, economy, and social activities as a social infrastructure that carries about 80% of the world’s cargo and more than 99% of Japan’s cargo. Japan’s maritime industry faces the following issues to be resolved: “development of new technologies and their social implementation in the context of the global trend toward decarbonization,” “introduction of automated vessels to improve safety and work styles to maintain shipping services,” and “securing overwhelming productivity in the increasingly sophisticated ship design and manufacturing processes.

MODE aims to address these challenges by using model-based development (MBD)* and model-based systems engineering (MBSE),** which are increasingly being introduced in the automobile industry.

MBD and MBSE approach those problems by examining the functions of products and components as computer models and then checking their behaviors through simulations. MBD and MBSE enable the optimization of complex system designs and the creation of a collaborative development process (“Maritime and Ocean Digital Engineering”) involving a wide range of stakeholders, including shippers and operators.

The program for research and education using MBD and MBSE for the maritime field will be established by forming a broad network between the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences and the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo and research institutes around the world that are promoting advanced engineering initiatives, and relevant experts from other industries such as automobiles, aerospace, and aviation.

The program aims to develop, implement, and upskill users in the development of new technologies. It is also expected to expand into maritime fields such as offshore wind power generation and subsea resource development.