MOL’s zero-emission project utilizing offshore wind and hydrogen hits new milestone

Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has reached a new milestone in its Wind Hunter project by supplying green hydrogen produced from offshore wind onboard a demonstration yacht for use on shore.

According to MOL, green hydrogen produced from offshore wind using the demonstration yacht Winz Maru was supplied onshore in the central breakwater area of Tokyo in the Wind Hunter Project, a zero-emission project utilizing wind power and hydrogen.

The milestone is said to mark the first time a ship has supplied green hydrogen, produced while the vessel was underway, for use on shore.

MOL conducted a demonstration test in Omura Bay, Sasebo City, with the Winz Maru and completed all phases of hydrogen production, storage, and usage of stored hydrogen onboard between 2021 and 2023.

Following the demonstration test, MOL has focused on supplying domestically produced green hydrogen from the Winz Maru in Tokyo Bay to onshore facilities.

As explained, the demonstration yacht handles and transports hydrogen by converting produced green hydrogen to methylcyclohexane (MCH) onboard the vessel in Tokyo Bay. To ensure sufficient supply, MOL said it had modified the MCH tanks and added turbine generators to the vessel. In addition, safety measures have been taken in light of rougher sea conditions in Tokyo Bay, compared to Omura Bay.

The shipping company also noted it plans to continue its green hydrogen production activities in Tokyo Bay, producing about 100 Nm3 of hydrogen (the equivalent of about 200 liters of MCH) in 2025, while simultaneously supplying electricity to a trailer home and other facilities in the central breakwater area of Tokyo.

In addition, MOL is working on studying a demonstration vessel and hydrogen supply chains for the Wind Hunter project.

“Assuming that the hydrogen value chain will be established domestically in the future, we aim to construct a demonstration vessel and commercialize the vessel as early as the 2030s,” the company said.