Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) has held a naming and launching ceremony for Japan’s first hybrid passenger ship, which uses hydrogen and biodiesel fuels.
The ship, which was named Hanaria, was ordered by MOL Group company Motena-Sea and is under construction at the Hongawara Ship Yard. It is scheduled to be delivered in March 2024 and will start servicing in Fukuoka Prefecture in April 2024.
The ship is designed to reduce CO2 emissions by between 53% and 100% compared to conventional fossil fuels vessels, by introducing a system that would be the first of its kind in Japan, offering the selection of operating modes employing hydrogen fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries, and biodiesel fuel.
