Development of Marine Hydrogen Engines and MHFS

under construction

Japan Engine Corporation and Kawasaki Heavy Industries are jointly developing a fully Japan-made, large, low-speed, two-stroke hydrogen-fueled engine (6UEC35LSGH) and a hydrogen fuel supply system (MHFS) for a large commercial vessel. The project aims to enable long-distance, high-output operations of hydrogen-fueled merchant ships by combining the engine with liquefied hydrogen fuel. The engine has successfully begun hydrogen co-firing operation in all cylinders, achieving over 95% hydrogen co-firing ratio at 100% load. The engine is scheduled for shipment in January 2027 and will be installed as the main engine of a 17,500-DWT hydrogen-fueled multi-purpose vessel designed and built by Onomichi Dockyard. The vessel will undergo three years of demonstration operation starting in FY2028 under the operation of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and MOL Drybulk, with safety evaluations by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK).