Yanmar fuel cell-equipped ship wins engineering award

The passenger vessel Hanaria, equipped with Yanmar Power Technology Co. Ltd.’s GH240FC maritime hydrogen fuel cell system, has received the Marine Engineering of the Year 2024 (Dokou Memorial Award). The honor is awarded by the Japan Institute of Marine Engineering for outstanding technological innovation in the field.

Ceremony for the Marine Engineering of the Year 2024 Award. (Photo: Yanmar Power Technology)

This year, the award recognized four companies: MOL Techno-Trade, Ltd., Hongawara Ship Yard Co., Ltd., Toyota Motor Corporation and Yanmar Power Technology, a subsidiary of Yanmar Holdings.

Hanaria is Japan’s first hybrid passenger ship powered by both hydrogen and biodiesel. Operated by MOL Techno-Trade, Ltd., the vessel features Yanmar’s first maritime hydrogen fuel cell system, a proprietary lithium-ion battery system, and an integrated management system that controls all onboard power. The vessel features two operating modes: a zero-emission mode using only hydrogen fuel cell systems and lithium-ion batteries, and a hybrid mode that combines hydrogen fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries and a biodiesel generator running in parallel.

The onboard systems aim to reduce the environmental footprint of vessels while also enhancing passenger comfort by significantly cutting noise, vibration and exhaust odor.

The Hanaria has also been selected for the “Ship of the Year 2024,” an award presented by the Japan Society of Naval Architects and Ocean Engineers that recognizes vessels demonstrating technical, artistic and social excellence. This marks the first time in history that a vessel has received both the Marine Engineering of the Year and the Ship of the Year awards.