Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. has selected the first grant project under its MOL BLUE Ocean Fund to support a demonstration of an AI‑enhanced robotics system for collecting debris on beaches, the company announced on 13 November 2026 through a report carried by reports.
The grant marks the inaugural award from the social contribution fund and will back a project led by Pirika, Inc. The Tokyo‑based firm was named by MOL as the implementer for the demonstration phase.
Pirika’s Representative Director is Fujio Kojima and the company’s headquarters are in Chiyoda‑ku, Tokyo. The firm will develop the technical elements of the pilot with financial support from the MOL BLUE Ocean Fund.
The initiative centres on a system that pairs artificial intelligence with robotic hardware to tackle litter on shorelines. The project aims to develop technology that can automatically identify, pick up and transport beach debris as part of a demonstration supported by the fund.
MOL described the award as the fund’s first grant project and positioned the work as a demonstration of the system rather than a full commercial rollout. Details on the demonstration schedule, scale and locations were not provided in the announcement relayed by reports.
Technology and aims
The project combines machine learning and autonomous mechanical systems to perform tasks that are currently handled manually on many beaches. The stated aim is an automated chain of detection, collection and movement of debris using AI‑enabled robotics.
The demonstration will test whether the integrated system can operate reliably in the coastal environment and perform the sequence of functions required for beach clean‑up. Further information about methods, sensors or logistical arrangements was not included in the published summary.
Partners and project leadership
Pirika, Inc. will lead the development work under the grant and is identified by MOL as the demonstration partner. The company’s representative director, Fujio Kojima, is named in the announcement and its registered headquarters are in Chiyoda‑ku, Tokyo.
MOL’s social contribution vehicle, the MOL BLUE Ocean Fund, provided the grant to support the demonstration phase. The fund’s selection of this project as its first award establishes the initiative’s initial priorities and signals a focus on practical, technology‑led interventions for coastal debris.
The announcement provided to reports did not include direct statements from project partners, technical specifications or a timetable for public demonstrations. The initial disclosure is confined to the selection of Pirika and the broad objective to demonstrate an AI‑driven beach debris collection system.
The demonstration project represents the first grant under the MOL BLUE Ocean Fund and will be watched for insights into how shipping industry capital can be channelled into practical environmental technology trials. Additional details about next steps and the broader ambitions of the fund remain to be disclosed by MOL or the project partners.