(Akashi, Japan) – A Japanese consortium has developed three liquid hydrogen-powered engines for ships and has now tested them on land for the first time. The demonstration took place at the headquarters of Japan Engine Corporation. Consortium partners are Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. and Yanmar Power Solutions Co., Ltd.
Inauguration and initial tests on the test rig for liquid hydrogen-powered marine engines at the headquarters of Japan Engine Corporation. © Yanmar Power Solutions Co., Ltd.
As part of the program, Kawasaki Heavy Industries manufactured a new fuel supply system that stores and vaporizes liquid hydrogen and can deliver it at both high and low pressure to the engines developed by the three companies. This enables testing in a range of applications, including slow-speed two-stroke main propulsion engines, four-stroke auxiliary engines, and four-stroke main generator engines for electrically powered vessels.
Three companies, three engines: Kawasaki, Yanmar, and Japan Engine developed two- and four-stroke engines for ships with different operating speeds and power outputs, which were tested with liquid hydrogen on J-Eng's engine test bench. © Yanmar Power Solutions Co., Ltd.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Yanmar Power Solutions report having achieved "stable operation" with hydrogen combustion in their four-stroke engines. Japan Engine (J-Eng), on the other hand, is developing a two-stroke hydrogen engine scheduled to go into operation in spring 2026. All three engines are based on a dual-fuel system that can switch between hydrogen and diesel fuel as needed. Following test runs in Akashi, Hyoga Prefecture, the companies now plan to conduct onboard trials with shipping companies and shipyards to advance practical implementation. The companies stated that development will continue to further refine engine performance.
The project is part of the "Green Innovation Fund / Next-Generation Ship Development," which the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has endowed with two trillion yen (11,3 billion euros). The fund is administered by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
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Kawasaki's 2.600-kilowatt four-stroke marine engine, which can run on both liquid hydrogen and diesel. © Yanmar Power Solutions Co., Ltd.
