Japan’s leading shipping company, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL), has announced that its innovative Wind Hunter Project has been selected by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to spearhead the development of technologies for realizing a hydrogen society.
This selection marks a major milestone in Japan’s push toward a decarbonized, hydrogen-based economy. The Wind Hunter Project, which uses wind power to produce hydrogen at sea, is now part of NEDO’s broader “Development of Technologies for Realizing a Hydrogen Society / Regional Hydrogen Utilization Technology Development” initiative.
NEDO’s project focuses on several critical areas: optimizing hydrogen production vessels, identifying the best offshore wind conditions for green hydrogen generation, developing a demonstration vessel for hydrogen production and supply, and studying hydrogen supply chains across Japan. According to NEDO, the potential of Wind Hunter’s approach to generate hydrogen offshore, store it onboard, and deliver it to shore for use in industries and local communities played a pivotal role in its selection.
Takeshi Hashimoto, President and CEO of MOL, sees the Wind Hunter Project as a key enabler of Japan’s hydrogen ambitions. Since its launch in 2020, Wind Hunter has been breaking new ground, including a world-first achievement in March 2025, when its demonstration yacht Winz Maru successfully produced green hydrogen offshore and supplied it onshore. This demonstration, part of the Tokyo Bay eSG Project, proved the feasibility of offshore hydrogen generation and its integration into existing supply chains.
The selection by NEDO is expected to accelerate the Wind Hunter Project’s progress toward building a large-scale demonstration vessel by the early 2030s. A model of the Wind Hunter is already on display at the “Future City” pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, underscoring the project’s role in shaping Japan’s clean energy future.
The potential impact of Wind Hunter extends beyond MOL’s fleet. The project’s integration of renewable energy, advanced maritime technologies, and local hydrogen supply chains aligns with Japan’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. MOL has committed to achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2050 under its “MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2,” and the Wind Hunter Project is central to that goal.
For Japan’s maritime and logistics sectors, the Wind Hunter Project represents a crucial step toward decarbonizing operations that have traditionally been challenging to electrify. By producing hydrogen at sea, the project reduces the need for extensive onshore infrastructure and opens possibilities for using offshore wind resources in novel ways.
NEDO’s backing highlights the growing recognition of hydrogen’s role in Japan’s future energy mix. The Hydrogen Production and Utilization Potential Project, under which Wind Hunter falls, will conduct detailed feasibility studies to evaluate models for producing, storing, and transporting hydrogen using local resources like offshore wind and byproduct gases.
As Japan moves closer to a hydrogen-powered future, the Wind Hunter Project stands at the forefront of technological innovation, offering a unique blend of maritime expertise, renewable energy, and advanced supply chain integration. The maritime industry will be watching closely as MOL and NEDO chart the course for this bold initiative.
