(Fukuyama, Japan) – Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. has launched what the company claims is "Japan's first tugboat powered by a hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine (ICE)." The vessel is equipped with a high-pressure hydrogen gas storage system with a capacity of 250 kilograms. All steel plates were manufactured using green steel produced by JFE Steel Corp.
The use of gaseous hydrogen enables the same operating performance as conventional fuels. © Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
To perform their tasks, tugboats must be highly maneuverable and have high engine power. This one is equipped with two 12-cylinder engines with 4.400 hp. The hydrogen propulsion system operates in combination with conventional marine fuels. According to the manufacturer, this reduces carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 60 percent compared to conventional propulsion systems with the same power output. In the event of a hydrogen propulsion failure, the vessel can also be operated solely with conventional marine fuels.
In the event of a malfunction of the hydrogen propulsion system, conventional marine diesel can also be used. © Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd
The 38-meter-long and 9,6-meter-wide vessel has a draft of 4,2 meters and was built as part of the Nippon Foundation's "Zero Emission Ships Project," which aims to develop ships with zero CO2 emissions. Tsuneishi's General Manager of the Design Division, Nishijima Takanori, says the company is working to achieve carbon neutrality by developing and building new vessels using fuels such as methanol, LNG, and hydrogen.
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Tsuneishi Shipbuilding has developed a hydrogen-powered tugboat and launched it at its shipyard in Fukuyama. © Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
