Nobu Su, former CEO of TMT, is planning a return to the ship ownership industry. Su is currently in the final stages of negotiations for a new test ship that may be delivered in May or June 2028.
Details of the New Ship Design
A 33-page white paper from the Morizo Group, led by Nobu Su, indicates that the first ship will be tested as an integrated design that includes auxiliary wind power, natural air lubrication, and either a gate radar or two radars. This project is still in the contracting stages, and its design is undergoing initial approval processes with a classification society. The goal of this project is to achieve fuel savings of over 20 percent. Numerical simulations, model tests, and ultimately independent full-scale verification are also planned.
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Future Outlook and Challenges
This paper presents the project concept, particularly in the context of large cargo transportation, although it deliberately does not disclose the specifications of the first ship. This ship will initially use marine diesel fuel, and the design allows for the adoption of new technologies during the five-year inspection and engine replacement during the ten-year inspection, especially as access to fuel and regulations become clearer in the future.
For Nobu Su, this project signifies a return to an industry where he once managed one of the largest privately controlled fleets in Asia. At the peak of TMT, this Taiwanese entrepreneur recorded about $7 billion in orders at Korean shipyards, but the global financial crisis and subsequent downturn in the shipping industry disrupted his empire. TMT filed for bankruptcy protection in 2013, and Su officially exited ship ownership a few years later. He then focused on inventions, registering over 40 patents. His attempt to return to dry shipping in 2018 faced resistance from former brokers and creditors. The years following TMT were also marked by lengthy lawsuits, including imprisonment in the UK for contempt of court.
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