TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING Co., Ltd. has delivered TEN-OH as Japan’s first tugboat equipped with a BEH2YDRO hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine (ICE) on 15 October 2025 at the TSUNEISHI Factory.
The tugboat is equipped with a BEH2YDRO high-output hydrogen dual-fuelled ICE and a high-pressure hydrogen gas storage system with large-capacity and supply system, supplied by JPNH2YDRO, a joint venture between TSUNEISHI Group and CMB.TECH.
Hydrogen fuel is a clean fuel which emits no carbon dioxide when burned and is regarded as a key contributor to achieving carbon neutrality. This vessel was developed and built under The Nippon Foundation’s Zero Emission Ships Project, which aims to develop vessels with zero CO₂ emissions.
Tugboats play a vital role in assisting large vessels to safely and smoothly manoeuvre when entering or leaving port. For this reason, they must combine high manoeuvrability with strong engine output.
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The newly delivered tugboat is powered by twin 12-cylinder hydrogen-blended engines (4,400 horsepower class) and stores around 250 kilograms (kg) of hydrogen in high-pressure tanks.
This ensures operational performance equivalent to conventional fuel use, whilst enabling significant CO₂ reductions. In the unlikely event of a hydrogen fuel system failure, the vessel can continue to operate solely on marine fuel, maintaining safety at the same standard as conventional vessels.
Earlier this summer, TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING acquired all shares of Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding from MITSUI E&S, making it a wholly owned subsidiary.
