First Onshore Supply of on Sea-Produced Green Hydrogen

World’s 1st successful onshore supply of produced green hydrogen generated at sea

Green Hydrogen Production and Supply Vessel Demonstrated by Wind Hunter Project

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.  reported that green hydrogen generated from offshore wind using the demonstration yacht “Winz Maru” was supplied onshore in Tokyo’s central breakwater area under the “Wind Hunter Project,” a zero-emission project utilising wind power and hydrogen promoted by MOL.  

This is the first time a ship has provided green hydrogen, generated on-board, for use on land worldwide. 

MOL successfully completed all steps of hydrogen production, storage, and use of stored hydrogen onboard a demonstration test in Omura Bay (Sasebo City) with the Winz Maru between FY2021 and FY2023.  MOL has concentrated on providing locally produced green hydrogen from the Winz Maru in Tokyo Bay to onshore facilities in response to the acceptance of the “Prior Projects” in the Tokyo Bay eSG Project since FY2023.

By turning generated green hydrogen into methylcyclohexane (MCH) onboard the vessel in Tokyo Bay, the Winz Maru makes handling and transportation of hydrogen—a challenging procedure for hydrogen gas—easy.  MOL has changed the MCH tanks and installed turbine generators to the vessel in order to guarantee enough supply.  Furthermore, considering more severe marine conditions in Tokyo Bay than in Omura Bay, safety precautions have been adopted. 

While at the same time providing energy to a caravan house and other amenities in the central breakwater region of Tokyo, MOL intends to keep its green hydrogen producing activities in Tokyo Bay producing roughly 100 Nm3 of hydrogen (the equivalent of almost 200 litres of MCH).

MOL is also looking at a big demonstration vessel for the Wind Hunter and hydrogen supply.  Assuming that the hydrogen value chain would develop locally in the future, we want to build and commercialise a big demonstration vessel as early as the 2030s.  Furthermore displayed in the “Transportation and Mobility” area of the “Future Society Showcase” pavilion at the 2025 World Exposition (“Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan”), a model ship of the Wind Hunter will be showcased from Sunday, April 13th this year.

Via the Wind Hunter, MOL is dedicated to advancing the building of a decarbonised society and a green hydrogen supply chain.