Mitsui O.S.K Lines Ltd. (MOL), MOL Drybulk Ltd., Onomichi Dockyard Co. Ltd., Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. (Kawasaki), and Japan Engine Corporation (J-ENG) have successfully completed a risk assessment of a multi-Purpose Vessel, powered by hydrogen, a zero-emission fuel. They have now been granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) for the parcel layout concept (Proposed layout of liquefied hydrogen fuel tank and other hydrogen fuel related equipment onboard and the design concept) from Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK).
This marks a significant milestone as it represents the world’s first AiP certification for a vessel equipped with a low-speed two-stroke hydrogen-fueled engine as its primary propulsion system.
The next stage of this groundbreaking project involves a two-year demonstration operation of the vessel, expected to commence around fiscal year 2027. This initiative is part of the “Development of marine hydrogen engines and MHFS (Marine hydrogen fuel system)” a program adopted by the Green Innovation Funding Program of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). In preparation for this demonstration operation, J-ENG’s large low-speed two-stroke hydrogen-fueled engine and Kawasaki’s MHFS will be installed in the vessel by fiscal year 2026.
Ownership and operational management of the vessel will be overseen by MOL and MOL Drybulk, while Onomichi Dockyard will be responsible for the vessel’s development and construction. The collaborative efforts of these companies are aimed at making the demonstration operation a success.
To ensure the project’s safety and efficiency, the five companies convened a Pre-HAZID (Hazard Identification) meeting on June 28-29, 2023, joined by ClassNK and the National Maritime Research Institute, National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology. During this meeting, the parties identified and addressed potential risks and challenges related to the parcel layout concept, particularly concerning the liquefied hydrogen fuel tank and fuel supply system. Following a thorough evaluation, it was confirmed that the vessel’s design can progress based on the existing parcel layout.
MOL, MOL Drybulk, Onomichi Dockyard, Kawasaki, and J-ENG are committed to playing a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the maritime industry and working towards the industry’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 through the forthcoming demonstration operation of this innovative hydrogen-powered vessel.
Source MOL Mitsui O.S.K Lines