On 3 June Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) announced that its Wind Hunter Project, a zero-emission initiative that uses wind power at sea to produce hydrogen, has been selected by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to take part in a national research program.
As stated, under the NEDO program, MOL will not only optimize its hydrogen-producing vessels but also study wind patterns around Japan to identify ideal conditions for generating green hydrogen at sea. The plan includes building a demonstration vessel for the Wind Hunter project and evaluating the hydrogen supply chain for regional production and consumption.
Launched in November 2020, the Wind Hunter Project aims to produce hydrogen offshore using wind power and deliver it to onshore users, supporting Japan’s transition to a decarbonized, hydrogen-based society. MOL has already demonstrated this concept using its test yacht Winz Maru.
In March 2025, Winz Maru achieved a world first by successfully producing green hydrogen offshore and supplying it to shore.
MOL stated that looking ahead that it plans to commercialize a demonstration vessel by the 2030s, assuming that Japan’s hydrogen value chain continues to develop.
