Tsuneishi Shipbuilding recently unveiled Japan’s first tugboat equipped with a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine (ICE). Launched in late March at the Tsuneishi Factory, this innovative vessel features a high-power output hydrogen dual-fuel ICE and a high-pressure hydrogen gas storage system. Additionally, all steel plates used in the tugboat are made from “JGreeX,” a green steel produced by JFE Steel Corporation. The twin 12-cylinder hydrogen-blended engines, with 4,400 horsepower, aim to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 60% compared to conventional tugboats using traditional marine fuels.
With the capacity to store around 250kg of high-pressure hydrogen gas, the tugboat maintains its operational performance while utilizing hydrogen fuel in combination with traditional marine fuels. In the event of a hydrogen fuel system failure, the vessel can seamlessly switch to using only traditional marine fuels, ensuring operational safety. Mr. Nishijima Takanori, General Manager of the Design Division at Tsuneishi Shipbuilding, expressed the company’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality through the development and construction of new fuel vessels like methanol-fueled, LNG-fueled, and hydrogen-fueled vessels.
The company plans to leverage its expertise in constructing high-power hydrogen-fueled tugboats to build more innovative fuel vessels in the future. By harnessing group synergies, Tsuneishi Shipbuilding aims to contribute to environmental sustainability by developing vessels that utilize alternative fuels. The hydrogen fuel tugboat, with a length of 38m, breadth of 9.6m, and draft of 4.2m, represents a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions in the maritime industry. Equipped with twin 12-cylinder hydrogen dual-fuel ICE engines, this vessel showcases the potential for hydrogen-powered propulsion in maritime transportation.
