Japanese shipping group Tsuneishi and Belgian shipping firm CMB have agreed to build a hydrogen-powered tugboat, following their development of the first hydrogen-powered ferry to operate in Japan.
CMB has agreed with Japanese shipbuilder Tsuneishi Facilities and Craft and ship operator Kambara Kisen, both under the Tsuneishi group, to launch joint venture JPN H2YDRO in July this year, aiming to develop hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2ICE) technology for Japan's industrial and marine markets. The joint venture will handle marketing and engineering services of H2ICE solutions in Japan.
The venture will be the sole agent for imports of BeHydro engines, a dual-fuel hydrogen-diesel engine developed by CMB and Belgian marine engine manufacturer ABC Engines. CMB is to launch the HydroTug, a hydrogen-powered tugboat installed with the first BeHydro engine, later this year at the port of Antwerp in Belgium.
The partners have also agreed to build the HydroPhoenix, a hydrogen-powered tugboat, as part of efforts to increase domestic demand for hydrogen in Japan. The planned tugboat will be operated by Kambara Kisen's tug operating arm Kambara Tug and Marine Services.
CMB and Tsuneishi Facilities and Craft have been co-operating since 2019 in developing the HydroBingo, a hydrogen-powered ferry, which is expected to be commissioned this month for operations in Japan's Seto inland sea.
The joint-venture project aims to spur the construction of further sister vessels and other industrial hydrogen applications. The firms are also planning to develop hydrogen-powered equipment for the land-based port industry and hydrogen-powered ships of different categories, such as support ships for offshore wind farms including a service operating vessel and a crew transfer vessel.
Demand for offshore wind farms is expected to expand in Japan as the country pushes development of renewable power to achieve its 2050 decarbonisation goal. The government is also backing development of domestic hydrogen infrastructure as demand for these alternative fuel is projected to rise for consumption by various industries, including shipping, power, mobility and steel production.
CMB earlier joined Japanese trading house Itochu and coke producer Nippon Coke and Engineering in a project to study the possibility of developing a domestic hydrogen production and supply chain in the northern Kyushu area. The project is targeting to launch a hydrogen supply chain in the April 2023-March 2024 fiscal year.
