MAN Energy Solutions (MAN ES) and its licensee Mitsui E&S have marked a groundbreaking achievement in the maritime industry. They successfully conducted the world’s first hydrogen combustion operation on a large marine engine.MAN Energy Solutions (MAN ES) and its licensee Mitsui E&S have marked a groundbreaking achievement in the maritime industry.
Image credit: Mitsui E&S
The milestone was reached during the hydrogen combustion operation of a sizable marine 2-stroke test engine with a bore size of 50 cm, conducted at the Mitsui E&S Tamano factory in Japan. The collaborative effort aims to expedite the introduction of hydrogen-related technologies in the maritime sector.
In a joint venture, MAN ES and Mitsui E&S converted one of the four cylinders of a MAN B&W ME-GI (Gas Injection) engine to operate on hydrogen. The hydrogen fuel was supplied through a dedicated hydrogen gas supply system developed by Mitsui E&S in 2023.
The partners reported achieving stable operation at various loads and operating conditions, demonstrating successful hydrogen combustion up to 100% load. Mitsui E&S also confirmed a remarkable reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 95%, with the remaining fraction attributed to the pilot fuel utilized during testing.
Mitsui celebrated the milestone, stating, “This is the world’s first successful hydrogen combustion test on a large, marine two-stroke engine. By achieving operational success along with the development of the hydrogen gas-supply system, we are now one step closer to realizing a zero-emission ship powered by hydrogen.”
Gunnar Stiesch, Chief Technical Officer of MAN Energy Solutions, expressed enthusiasm about the project. He called it “a very interesting project”. One of several hydrogen-related initiatives MAN Energy Solutions is actively pursuing in both two- and four-stroke engine segments. Stiesch congratulated Mitsui for achieving this groundbreaking milestone, emphasizing its significance in advancing decarbonization.
Bjarne Foldager, Country Manager, Denmark, MAN Energy Solutions, highlighted the positive collaboration with Mitsui on this research project. He expressed satisfaction with the achieved results. Foldager underscored the advantages and flexibility of two-stroke engine technology. He emphasized that MAN Energy Solutions closely monitors the market for significant developments. This successful test represents a noteworthy progression in their journey toward sustainable maritime solutions.