Japanese shipping firm Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) recently became the first to successfully produce green hydrogen offshore and deliver it onshore to Tokyo.

The company produced the offshore hydrogen with its demonstration yacht, Winz Maru. The ship contains an onboard plant for producing transportable green hydrogen. According to a report by H2 View, the firm plans to use the vessel to produce approximately 200 liters of hydrogen in 2025.

Hydrogen is an excellent source of green energy as it can be used to generate electricity and heat without emitting carbon dioxide. And, since it can be extracted from water, it’s an abundant resource.

The team produced green hydrogen aboard the ship and converted it to the liquid organic hydrogen carrier methylcyclohexane (MCH) to allow safe and efficient transportation. The Winz Maru is a wind-powered sailing vessel that generates electricity using underwater turbines and uses seawater to produce green hydrogen.

To ensure sufficient supply, MOL modified the MCH tanks and added turbine generators to the vessel. Safety measures have also been taken to account for rougher sea conditions in Tokyo Bay compared to Omura Bay.

The Winz Maru demonstrator is part of the Wind Hunter Project, which aims to create a green hydrogen supply chain.

MOL has been conducting tests since 2023 with the goal of supplying domestically produced green hydrogen from Winz Maru to onshore facilities in Tokyo Bay. Between FY2021 and FY2023, MOL performed a demonstration test in Omura Bay with the Winz Maru and successfully completed all phases of hydrogen production, storage, and usage of stored hydrogen onboard.

The company wants to test a larger vessel for the Wind Hunter Project, which aims to become operational by the early 2030s. This project is another step toward Japan’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.