Vietnam's IKONOMY and IUH's Hydrogen Technology Breakthrough on Fishing Vessels Nominated for 2026 National Science and Technology Award
October 30, 2026 | Annie Nguyễn
The Vietnam ASEAN Hydrogen Club (VAHC) extends its sincere congratulations to IKONOMY Green Energy JSC and the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City (IUH) as their collaborative research project is officially nominated by IUH to the Ministry of Science and Technology for the "Typical Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation Event of 2026" award.
Context and Nomination
In response to Official Letter No. 8187/BKHCN-TTTT from the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City has submitted the nomination dossier for the technology solution "Application of a decentralized hydrogen injection system integrated with renewable energy on fishing vessels." The project falls under the "Make in Vietnam" product category and represents a model of innovation through the "3-House" collaboration (State - University - Enterprise). The solution was developed by scientists and lecturers from IUH in partnership with IKONOMY.
Technology Architecture and Mechanism
The solution is designed based on a Decentralized Hydrogen architecture and a Plug-and-Play mechanism, allowing for direct deployment on offshore fishing vessels without requiring structural modifications to existing engines.
The system comprises core components:
On-site renewable energy: Integration of solar panels and micro-wind turbines to harness natural energy at sea.
Energy storage system: Utilization of batteries or supercapacitors to stabilize the electrical current for electrolysis during fluctuating renewable input.
Micro-electrolyzer: On-board hydrogen production with a standardized capacity of 1kW per unit. The units can be flexibly combined to match the power requirements of different vessel types.
Hydrogen injection module and control algorithm: Hydrogen is introduced into the diesel engine's intake via a smart Electronic Control Unit (ECU), automatically adjusting the optimal injection ratio based on load. The system incorporates safety valves to prevent backfire and ensure engine longevity.
Scientifically, owing to hydrogen's high diffusivity and strong combustion catalytic properties, a small amount of hydrogen acts as a catalyst to facilitate more complete combustion of diesel fuel. This process increases thermal efficiency, reduces carbon deposits, and significantly cuts toxic emissions such as CO, HC, NOx, and black smoke.
Mr. Nguyễn Nguyên Quang, Chairman and Founder of Ikonomy presenting the Project at the reception of Saitama's Business Federation, HCMC 2025
Economic Efficiency and Environmental Impact
The solution was field-tested at Binh Chau fishing port in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province, recording fuel savings ranging from 10% to 25% depending on the vessel's capacity.
Specific calculations demonstrate outstanding efficiency:
For a sample fishing vessel (consuming 60 liters of diesel per day, operating 250 days per year): The system saves 6.0 - 15 liters of fuel per day, equivalent to 1,500 - 3,750 liters per year. The corresponding CO2 emission reduction is 4.02 to 10.05 tons CO2 per year.
At a pilot scale of 20 vessels: Savings of 30,000 - 75,000 liters of diesel per year, reducing 80.4 - 201 tons of CO2 per year.
At the expansion scale across all 50,000 offshore fishing vessels in Vietnam: The solution has the potential to directly reduce 201,000 to 520,500 tons of CO2 per year, while saving hundreds of billions of VND in fuel costs for fishermen.
Dr. Dương Miên Ka, Co-founder of Iknomy and Lecturer at IUH presenting about the Project at the Human Resource Hydrogen Seminar hosted by VAHC and Korean Partners, 2025
Intellectual Property Protection and Digital Transformation
This scientific achievement has been legally protected. On August 13, 2026, the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam officially granted two Industrial Design Patents for IKONOMY's products:
Patent No. 45490 for the industrial design "Automatic control cabinet."
Patent No. 45491 for the industrial design "Automatic control cabinet module."
Beyond hardware, the system integrates IoT solutions to automatically collect data on fuel consumption, hydrogen output, and safety status, supporting predictive maintenance. Notably, operational data is made transparent through Blockchain technology under IKONOMY's "Go Green To Earn" model. This not only lays the groundwork for commercializing carbon credits but also greens the export seafood supply chain, providing a competitive advantage in demanding markets such as the EU, Japan, and South Korea.
VAHC highly values the practicality and scalability of the project and is proud to accompany its members in promoting the application of hydrogen technology in socio-economic development, towards the Net Zero goal by 2050.
