On the 28th March, 2025; TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING Co., have created and launched the first Tugboat that features a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine.

TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING Co., chose to use green steel, “JGreeX”, created by JFE Steel Corporation, to make all the required steel plates for this ground-breaking combustion engine; which also includes a hydrogen gas storage system. Using green steel and hydrogen will help the company minimize environmental impact, contribute to decarbonisation, and have the ability to provide cleaner vessels.

TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING Co.,’s new tugboat was purposefully designed to produce zero CO2 emissions, so it can align with The Nippon Foundation’s “Zero Emission Ships Project”. Therefore, using hydrogen fuel is excellent, as it is a clean fuel which should play a role in the realisation of carbon neutrality, and when it is burned, it does not emit CO2.

To complete its purpose efficiently, the tugboat has been equipped with two 12-cylinder hydrogen-based engines, and through combining this hydrogen with normal marine fuels, the company is able to work towards their target of minimizing CO2 emissions by an estimated 60% when compared to normal tugboats running on normal marine fuels. Plus, ensuring that facilities are storing an estimated 250kg of high-pressure hydrogen gas makes it possible to maintain this state of performance that is seen with conventional tugboats, whilst also involving hydrogen.

Mr. NISHIJIMA Takanori, General Manager of the Design Division and Managing Executive Officer of TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING Co., Ltd., said, “We have successfully launched our first hydrogen-fuelled tugboat. We will utilise the know-how and design processes we have developed in the construction of hydrogen-fuelled tugboats, which require high power, in the construction of further new fuel vessels. Our company is working to achieve carbon neutrality by developing and constructing new fuel vessels such as methanol-fuelled, LNG-fuelled and hydrogen-fuelled vessels, making use of group synergies. TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING Co., will continue to contribute to the decarbonisation of the maritime industry through a multifaceted approach to the development and construction of new fuel vessels, an the utilisation of green steel materials.”