Japan’s shipping giant MOL has revealed plans to test a hydrogen-fueled engine equipped on an in-service vessel.
The ship will be operated by MOL and its unit MOL Drybulk, while Japan Engine Corporation (J-ENG) would develop the “world’s first low-speed, two-stroke hydrogen-fueled marine engine,” according to a statement.
Through this agreement, the three partners aim to commercialize net zero hydrogen-powered vessels and promote their wide adoption in the ocean shipping industry, MOL said.
In the future, hydrogen supply chains would expand globally in response to progress in the use and adoption of hydrogen in various fields such as power generation and mobility.
Even in the ocean shipping industry, hydrogen fuel “is drawing considerable attention as a promising next-generation fuel,” it said.
In cooperation with Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and Yanmar Power Technology, J-ENG will develop the hydrogen-fueled engine.
MOL claims this would be the world’s first main engine for large ocean-going or coastal vessels.
Also, the engine development has received a government subsidy from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), part of Green Innovation Funding Program.
MOL added it aims to deploy net zero emissions ocean-going vessels in the 2020s and achieve net zero GHG emissions by 2050.
The Japanese firm has this year signed several deals for vessel fuels including ammonia and LNG.