News Release

Yanmar Co., Ltd. has participated in a test of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered boat under the research project towards development of the guidelines for safety of hydrogen fuel cell-powered boats in support of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Japan (MLIT). Yanmar, the National Maritime Research Institute (NMRI) and the Japan Ship Technology Research Association (JSTRA) formed a consortium to develop the draft guidelines for safety of hydrogen fuel cell-powered boats. This project is a three-year plan, which MLIT has implemented since 2015 towards establishment of the hydrogen based society. In the final phase, the consortium carried out a field test towards development of the draft guidelines using a 60 kW hydrogen fuel cell system, based on the results of primary testing in previous phase of the project and successfully verified the safety requirements for the hydrogen fuel cell system. The consortium submitted this summary and the draft guidelines to MLIT.

The 60 kW maritime fuel cell system prototype has been developed through collaboration between Yanmar and Toyota Tsusho with modules from Ballard Power Systems Inc of Canada. The fuel cell system was installed on the test boat provided by NMRI with a lithium-ion battery system developed by Uzushio Electric Co., Ltd., and Yanmar and NMRI jointly conducted the field test. The test verified the safety requirements for both the hydrogen fuel cell system and the lithium-ion battery system.

Yanmar will continue research and development towards refining the capabilities of the maritime fuel cell system for deployment to hydrogen fuel cell-powered boats. Tour boats operating in urban waterways are a potential market for hydrogen fuel cell-powered boats. As a member of the maritime cluster, Yanmar will continue to cooperate with government, industry and academia on development of hydrogen fuel cell-powered boats and ships.

Test Boat – Key Specifications

Name: Shimpo
Material: fiber reinforced plastic (FRP)
Gross tonnage: 17 tons
Centerline length: 16.5 meters
Test area: a radius of 4 nautical miles around Kushihana, Innoshima, Shigei-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture.
Maximum speed at full load: 11.5 knots (9.0 knots at electric propulsion)
Fuel cell system: polymer electrolyte fuel cell system (Yanmar) 60 kW x 1
Secondary Battery System: Lithium-ion Battery system (Uzushio Electric Co.,Ltd.) 60 kWh
Propulsion motor: IPM motor 50 kW x 2
Inspection organization: Japan Craft Inspection Organization

About Yanmar

With beginnings in Osaka, Japan in 1912, Yanmar was the first ever to succeed in making a compact diesel engine of a practical size in 1933. Moving on, with industrial diesel engines as the cornerstone of the enterprise, Yanmar has continued to expand its product range, services, and expertise to deliver total solutions as an industrial equipment manufacturer. As a provider of small and large engines, agricultural machinery and facilities, construction equipment, energy systems, marine, machine tools, and components — Yanmar’s global business operations span seven domains.
On land, at sea, and in the city, Yanmar’s Mission of “providing sustainable solutions focused on the challenges customers face, in food production and harnessing power, thereby enriching people’s lives for all our tomorrows,” stands testament to Yanmar’s determination to provide us with “A Sustainable Future”.
For more details, please check out the official website of Yanmar Co., Ltd.: https://www.yanmar.com/global/about/