- A 120 -meter ship could soon accommodate thousands of GPU AI with direct cooling of sea water
- The project depends on the reused ships to reduce both construction costs and environmental damage
- Mol and kinetics promise flexibility, mobility and abundance of power thanks to powers and renewable offshore energies
The idea of putting an installation fueled by AI on a ship was used as a science fiction – and there has been a short time, there was even a failed Del Complex attempt to build a floating “AI nation” which would take place using artificial intelligence.
From now on, the expedition of the Mitsui Osk (Mol) lines and the kinetics, the Karpowership energy transition unit, aims to achieve something much more anchored.
Companies work together to build a mobile floating data center that could house thousands of GPU AI while approaching the bottlenecks of digital infrastructure.
Mol and kinetic plans for a floating data center of AI
The two companies recently signed a memorandum of understanding to develop what they describe as “the first floating data center platform integrated into the world”.
The structure will be hosted aboard a modernized ship, supported by a power supply which includes electric ships, floating power plants developed by Karpowership, as well as other sources such as solar farms, offshore wind and earth networks.
“This project represents a major step towards our vision in kinetics, offering innovative, effective and sustainable infrastructure solutions that meet today and tomorrow’s energy needs,” said Mehmet Katmer, CEO of Kinetics.
“By associating mobile energy production with a floating data infrastructure, we approach the clums of critical markets on the market while allowing a faster digital expansion, cleaner and more flexible.”
The data center should offer between 20 and 73 MW of capacity, cooled by direct water systems from seas or rivers.
It would be mounted on a ship 120 meters long, with network plans that include underwater cables and land internet exchanges.
“This memorandum of understanding represents an important step in the use of the assets of the Mol group and a vast expertise in ship operations to quickly create digital infrastructure while minimizing the environmental impact,” said Tomoaki Ichida, CEO of Mol.
“In the future, we will continue to extend a diversified range of social infrastructure companies focused on the maritime transport industry.”
A mobile platform, cooled by the sea and rich in power which bypasses land constraints and the authorization of headache offers an attractive alternative to overloaded land data centers.
Flexibility is notable, but the extent of ambition raises questions, and this justifies skepticism.
Although the idea seems perfect on paper, its real execution could face the same problems that have afflicted similar utopian infrastructure concepts.
The MOU promises operations by 2027, subject to “successful feasibility studies and current technical developments”.
These feasibility studies must prove that problems such as network latency, the risks of physical relocation, regulatory uncertainty and long -term maintenance can be treated reliably.
The cost and sustainability arguments are strongly dependent on the reuse of existing ships.
“In addition to reducing construction costs,” says the project, “the use of existing integrated systems … should reduce initial investment costs.”
By avoiding new constructions, developers believe that they can also reduce the environmental assessment of raw materials extraction.
The practical advantages, such as the speed of deployment, the mobility and independence of the tense terrestrial networks, are not in doubt.
“Even in areas that experience energy shortages, offshore data centers can start operations immediately,” note developers.
But if this system will prove reliable, evolving and economically healthy in the long term remains to be seen.
