Ten-Oh tugboat packs more than 4,400 hydrogen fueled horsepower

Under the hood of the new “Ten-Oh” Japanese tugboat is the key is a novel marine engine system churning out more than 4,400 hp (!) from its dual, dual-fuel hydrogen-burning V12 engines. Is this – finally! – a great use case for hydrogen?

It’s important to note that this new, hydrogen-powered tugboat is NOT a fuel cell vehicle. It burns hydrogen the same way an ICE vehicle burns gas or diesel – and this combustion tugboat isn’t a timid pilot project. Instead, the Ten-Oh is a fully capable vessel built by JPNH2YDRO co-developed by Tsuneishi Group and CMB.tech, and proponents of the new design say it “proves” that hydrogen power can shoulder the heaviest of harbor duties.

Tugboats are the workhorses of any port, requiring both immense torque and horsepower (which is the rate at which torque is applied) for pushing massive cargo ships and tankers. Any new propulsion system that can’t meet the brutal performance demands of this role is literally dead in the water. By matching the 4,400 hp of a conventional diesel tug and offering the ability to run on conventional maritime fuels if the hydrogen runs out, the Ten-Oh dismantles the primary argument against clean maritime tech – that low-emission powerplants lacks the muscle for the job.

The Ten-Oh stores up to 250 kg of gaseous hydrogen in a high-pressure fuel system, feeding H to its twin combustion engines. However, the “dual-fuel” nature of the vessel is its masterstroke in ensuring operational continuity and safety. In the event of a hydrogen system issue or depleted fuel tanks, the tugboat can seamlessly switch to running entirely on conventional marine fuel … and that’s where things go sideways.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

High hopes for hydrogen

The company says the new Ten-Oh demonstrates that hydrogen-blended combustion can deliver the necessary bollard pull and operational reliability, making decarbonization a practical reality instead of a theoretical goal.

And, in fairness, there’s no question that the hydrogen combustion engines work. The Ten-Oh is part of a growing global fleet of hydrogen tugs, signaling a definitive shift in port decarbonization. It follows in the wake of pioneers like the “Hydrotug 1” (above) deployed at the Port of Antwerp in Belgium, which currently holds the title of the world’s largest hydrogen-powered tug. This trend positions tugboats as the ideal “stepping stone” for maritime hydrogen, as their fixed routes, proximity to potential hydrogen bunkering infrastructure, and significant localized emissions makes them perfect testbeds for the technology. Hydrogen proponents claim that the lessons learned from these vessels will be invaluable for scaling up hydrogen solutions for larger, more complex oceangoing ships.

But I don’t buy it.

The plug-in hybrid problem

The reason PHEVs aren’t delivering the sort of environmental and emissions gains that the technology promises is simple: people don’t plug them in.

Getting people to buy into a new technology is relatively simple, but getting people to change their behavior is another matter entirely. People have laughably short memories, too, as evidenced by people’s claims that former President Joe Biden didn’t handle the 2020 Covid lockdowns properly when it was, in fact, Donald Trump who was President in 2020. In that context, it’s fully reasonable to expect that Japanese port operators will welcome the new Ten-Oh, hail its low-emissions running, then simply pump it full of diesel as soon as the press photographers go home.

I hope I’m wrong about that, but I’ve never lost money betting on the Dark Side.

What’s your take? Am I being too cynical about the port operators’ intentions? Is Japan a more enlightened place than I’m used to? Is hydrogen just a better way to reduce emissions than batteries, despite the fact that people with real skin in the game have been saying that it’s “impossible” for hydrogen to compete with batteries for years? Head down to the comments and let us know what you think.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Tsuneishi Group; via AutoEvolution.

If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.