A group of Japanese companies and institutions have teamed up for the research and development of hydrogen fuel for commercial shipping as part of the country’s effort to become carbon neutral by 2050.
Utility Kansai Electric Power, energy firm Iwatani, shipbuilder Namura Shipbuilding, the state-owned Development Bank of Japan and the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology have agreed to start a feasibility study to develop a vessel powered by hydrogen fuel cells and a fuelling station to supply hydrogen to vessels.
The plan is to put the hydrogen fuel cell vessel into operation during the Osaka-Kansai Japan Expo in 2025.
Last month, Japan’s prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, announced that the country will become fully carbon neutral by 2050.
Last year, Japan’s largest shipowner Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and e5 Lab, a Japanese vessel electrification and digitalisation solution provider, entered into a memorandum of understanding to conduct a joint study of a hybrid pure car carrier equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell system and large-capacity batteries.
