Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) is to fit one of its bulkers with a hydrogen-fuelled engine as part of a trial with marine engine manufacturer Japan Engine Corp (J-ENG).

The trial will see a low-speed, two-stroke hydrogen-fuelled engine fitted on board the vessel, which will be operated by the Japanese shipping giant's subsidiary, MOL Drybulk.

MOL claims this is the first time such a system will be installed as a main engine on board "large" ocean-going or coastal vessels.

The firms have signed a basic agreement to cooperate in the trial, a release said on Tuesday.

MOL said the collaboration aims "to commercialise net-zero, hydrogen-powered vessels and promote their wide adoption in the ocean shipping industry".

J-ENG said it will work with Japanese shipyard Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Yanmar Power Technology to develop the hydrogen-fuelled engine.

The engine project is being subsidised by the Japanese government as part of its Green Innovation Funding Program.

"In the future, hydrogen supply chains are expected to expand globally in response to progress in the use and adoption of hydrogen in various fields such as power generation and mobility," MOL said on Tuesday.

"Even in the ocean shipping industry, hydrogen is drawing considerable attention as a promising next-generation fuel."

MOL did not reveal the specific vessel or size of bulker to which the hydrogen engine will be fitted or when the system will be installed.

MOL Drybulk was formed in April through the merger of MOL's two dry-cargo businesses and operates small and mid-size bulkers, woodchip carriers and short-sea ships of between 10,000 dwt and 100,000 dwt.

The fleet excludes MOL bulkers serving steel manufacturers and electric power companies.

Search for the new fuel

The MOL Group has this year stepped up its exploration of low and zero-carbon marine fuels.

The group is aiming for net-zero emissions from its entire fleet of oceangoing vessels before 2030 and wants to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Last week, the company took delivery of the 49,999-dwt methanol-dual fuelled methanol carrier Capilano Sun (built 2021).

It also announced plans to develop a large ammonia carrier powered by ammonia, as well as a joint study with Brazilian miner Vale on the use of wind-propelled rotor sails on bulkers.

In August, MOL Group announced it is working with Tata Steel to explore greenhouse gas reduction technologies to deploy on bulkers.

Hydrogen research

The Japanese group has already started projects that it hopes will boost its knowledge of hydrogen fuelling.

In May, MOL announced it is working with communications technology firm Keppel Data Centres; Japanese shipyard Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Linde Gas Singapore and terminal operator Vopak LNG Holding to explore the concept development of infrastructure that would supply liquefied hydrogen to power Keppel’s data centres in Singapore.

It also announced it was working with terminal operator Klaipedos Nafta and Norwegian ship manager Larvik Shipping to carry out a feasibility study for liquefied CO2 loading facilities at the port of Klaipeda, Lithuania.

At the time, MOL said it hopes "insights gained in the feasibility study may also help accelerate clean-hydrogen production from fossil fuels".