CMB and TSUNEISHI launch Japanese hydrogen joint venture
ANTWERP, BELGIUM - JAPAN 21.04.2021 - Today CMB and TSUNEISHI FACILITIES and CRAFT CO.,LTD. and KAMBARA KISEN CO., LTD. their Shipping Biz. Segment of TSUNEISHI Group launch their hydrogen joint venture. The company will distribute and develop hydrogen know-how, expertise, engines and applications in Japan. The start of the partnership is marked by a major project: the HydroPhoenix, Asia's first hydrogen-powered tugboat.
JPN H2YDRO & H2ICE Application Centre
CMB and TSUNEISHI want to develop the hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2ICE) technology for the Japanese industrial and marine market. CMB’s subsidiary CMB.TECH has built up extensive knowhow over the years and has successfully developed concrete applications with dual fuel and monofuel hydrogen engines.
To accelerate the adoption of this revolutionary technology, CMB and TSUNEISHI have agreed to invest additional capital in the Bingo Research Institute and change the name to "JPN H2YDRO CO.,LTD" for the import, marketing and engineering service of H2ICE solutions in Japan. JPN H2YDRO CO.,LTD will establish a H2ICE Application Center in Japan.
HydroBingo & HydroPhoenix
CMB and TSUNEISHI have already been working together, with the development of the HydroBingo, the next generation 80 passenger ferry that uses hydrogen as marine fuel for propulsion.
Both companies will build a hydrogen-powered tugboat, the HydroPhoenix. This landmark development and Asia's first hydrogen tugboat will increase local demand for hydrogen and catalyse the construction of further sister ships and other industrial hydrogen applications.
Furthermore, both companies will also focus on the development of hydrogen-powered equipment for the land-based port industry and ships of different categories, such as support ships for offshore wind farms, like CTV, SOV and CSOV, through the H2ICE application centre, as mentioned above.
BeHydro dual fuel engines
Since 2017, CMB has developed a wide variety of hydrogen-powered engines and applications, including the world's first 1 MW dual fuel hydrogen diesel engine developed by BeHydro which is a joint venture vehicle with ABC Engines. The new joint venture will be the sole agent for the import of BeHydro engines in Japan.
“It was a great honor to witness the signing ceremony of the MOU between CMB N.V., Tsuneishi Facilities & Craft Co., Ltd. and Kambara Kisen Co., Ltd. on 20 April 2021. I was particularly pleased to hear about the business partnership between the three companies and I believe that this partnership will enhance the business case for hydrogen fuel propulsion engines in the shipping industry in Japan and support the Green Growth Strategy of the Japanese government. Green energy is crucial in pursuing the fight against Climate Change and ensuring a sustainable development for all. This collaboration is an excellent example of how Belgium and Japan can cooperate for a better future and I look forward to many more of this kind of cooperation between our two countries.”
“With this new joint venture, CMB re-affirms its commitment to the Japanese market and its support for Japan’s vision of a hydrogen society. We are honoured to partner up with the well-respected Kambara family and look forward to developing this new line of business with the TSUNEISHI Group. This will allow us to accelerate our business plan on our journey to a zero carbon world.”
“We have been working to contribute to society with shipbuilding technology. We are proud and rewarding to take over this identity and make an effort to get closer to the carbon-neutral world as soon as possible at this company that works with CMB. We will continue to develop for the realization of the coming hydrogen society.”
"We are so excited about our strategic partnership to further enter the market of carbon neutral business engineering mainly developed by alternative fuels for marine and port industries. I am confident that this new joint venture will achieve our immediate project of completing the HydroPhoenix, Asia's first hydrogen-powered tugboat."
Picture from left to right:
Yu Aonuma (Roberto) CMB / Jun Kamabara TFC / Alexander Saverys CMB /Ambassador Roxane de Bilderling / Hirotatsu Kambara KAMBARA KISEN and Mitsuo Kambara TFC
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