Belgian shipping and logistics company Compagnie Maritime Belge (CMB) and Japanese shipbuilder Tsuneishi have launched a hydrogen-powered passenger ferry called HydroBingo . The vessel is reportedly the world’s first hydrogen-powered ferry.
The 80-passenger 19 gross tonne ferry has been operational since mid-July 2021 in the Japanese inland sea. HydroBingo features dual fuel hydrogen-diesel internal combustion engines. Refuelling is completed with a trailer via roll-on/roll-off hydrogen storage.
The maximum sailing speed is 26 knots (approximately 30 miles per hour), with a cruise speed between 18 and 22 knots (20 to 25 mph).
HydroBingo has been developed as a part of the joint venture JPNH2YDRO that will focus on the import, marketing, and engineering of CMB’s hydrogen internal combustion engine technology (H2ICE) for the Japanese industrial and marine market.
The joint venture is part of Japan’s Green Growth Strategy for Carbon Neutrality in 2050, which aims to improve the knowledge and use of hydrogen to decarbonise Japan and contribute to its economic growth.
