Tokyo - Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Ltd. (MOL), MOL Drybulk, Ltd., Onomichi Dockyard Co., Ltd., Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Kawasaki) and Japan Engine Corporation (J-ENG) conducted a risk assessment of a Multi-Purpose Vessel powered by hydrogen, zero-emission fuel and has been granted Approval in Principle (AiP) of parcel layout concept from Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK).

This is the world's first AiP certification for a ship equipped with a low speed two-stroke hydrogen-fueled engine as the main propulsion engine.

Demonstration operation of the vessel will be conducted for two years from around FY2027 as part of the "Development of marine hydrogen engines and MHFS" which was adopted by Green Innovation Funding Program of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). Prior to the demonstration operation, J-ENG's large low-speed two-stroke hydrogen-fueled engine and Kawasaki's MHFS will be installed in the vessel by FY2026. MOL and MOL Drybulk will be in charge of ownership and operation management of the vessel and Onomichi Dockyard will be in charge of the development and building of the vessel, and they will cooperate toward the demonstration operation.

The five companies held a Pre-HAZID meeting on June 28-29, 2023, together with ClassNK and the National Maritime Research Institute, National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology. The parties completed identification of the risks and issues to be considered in further design for the parcel layout concept of liquefied hydrogen fuel tank and fuel supply system, and confirmed that the design of the vessel can proceed further based on the current parcel layout.

MOL, MOL Drybulk, Onomichi Dockyard, Kawasaki and J-ENG will contribute to reducing GHG (Greenhouse gas) in the maritime industry and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 through the demonstration operation of the vessel.