Basic Study to Realize Pure Hydrogen Fuel Cell Coastal Ships

Towards the net-zero by 2050 goal of the IMO, several paths are being explored in the maritime sector. Alternative fuels are of particular importance in the developments where the marine engineering industry plays key roles along with realization. A hydrogen fuel cell is one of the potential energy sources in that regard. We have been developing a pure fuel cell ship, which utilizes hydrogen fuel cell as well as lithium-ion battery to realize “zero emission” during its operation. The commercialization and operation of pure fuel cell ships are still challenging due to the lack of established design knowledge bases. This paper firstly discusses our design experience of Japanese first pure fuel cell passenger ship Mahoroba. Then, we have proposed pure fuel cell ship designs for coastal ships: a harbor tugboat, a houseboat, and an oil tanker, applying the knowledge gained through the design of the preceding ships. We have also considered energy capabilities regarding their operation schedules. Resulting study showed that pure hydrogen fuel cell coastal ships are realizable while several measures such as operation schedule adjustment, re-evaluation of accommodation spaces in the design phase, etc., are required.