Shipping Update

Ocean shipping is a vital component of the global supply chain and the backbone of international trade. However, powering massive ships requires a high amount of energy, and the byproducts of that amount to an estimated 2.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations specialized agency on shipping, has agreed to reduce global maritime emissions by 50% by 2050. Even with two decades to prepare, the maritime industry faces a challenge to meet this goal.  Shipping has found itself in the category of “hard-to-decarbonize” due to the excessive energy required to propel a ship, and the incumbent technologies used, usually inefficient combustion engines and fossil fuels. Fuel cells offer a clean, reliable, and scalable solution to decarbonize the shipping sector and the global maritime industry is beginning to catch on.

Since our most recent update September 2019, there has been a lot of progress in fuel cells for shipping applications. Below is an update on where fuel cells in shipping has progressed since our last update. 

Bloom Energy and Samsung Heavy Industries

Samsung Heavy Industries, one of the world’s largest shipbuilders, is looking to comply with the IMO reduction requirement with the help of fuel cell technology. In September 2019, Samsung Heavy Industries and FCHEA member Bloom Energy announced a collaboration to develop ships powered by Bloom Energy Servers, a system of scalable solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) that will run on natural gas. The companies built upon the announcement with a joint development agreement in June 2020. The use of SOFCs will reduce the ships’ carbon emissions considerably when compared to diesel engines. In addition, the SOFCs will reduce particulate emissions, NOX, and SOX, by up to 99%.

Doosan Fuel Cell

In November 2020, Doosan Fuel Cell announced it will be manufacturing SOFCs to power and propel ships built by Singaporean shipping company Navig8. The partnership will initially power a 50,000-ton ship. According to Doosan, Navig8 has around 140 global petrochemical and oil carriers that could potentially be decarbonized through the use of Doosan’s SOFCs.

Navig8 ships will be using Doosan SOFCs. Source: Doosan via Yonhap News Agency

Italy and PowerCell’s Efforts

The world’s fourth largest shipbuilding company, Fincantieri S.p.A, has sought the help of FCHEA member PowerCell to decarbonize their vessels. PowerCell has delivered to the shipbuilder a MS-30 fuel cell system based around PowerCell’s existing S2 fuel cell stack. Fincantieri is planning on using it to test propulsion and power generating for marine applications, similar to the company’s previous luxury yacht that takes advantage of fuel cell benefits.

In April 2020, PowerCell announced it has received a contract from an unnamed European shipyard for a 3-megawatt (MW) marine-application fuel cell, further establishing the penetration of fuel cells in the maritime market.

Norway

In Norway, companies are looking to establish hydrogen as a dominant force in shipping around the country’s fjords. The Hellesylt Hydrogen Hub consortium, which includes FCHEA member Hexagon Composites and Hyon (a joint venture between FCHEA members Nel, PowerCell, and Hexagon), along with other companies, was awarded NOK 37.6 million (~$4.11 million) under the Norway’s PILOT-E funding scheme to develop a hydrogen production facility in the Geirangerfjord. The facility will provide hydrogen for ferries and cruise ships, helping to decarbonize the region, a popular site that draws around 360,000 cruise tourists a year. By mitigating cruise emissions, a highly polluting method of vacationing, The Hellesylt Hydrogen Hub will help set a global precedent to significantly lower global ship emissions.

Norway’s Geirangerfjord, a popular cruise tourism destination, may soon be zero-emission with an influx of hydrogen developments.

In addition, FCHEA member Air Liquide has joined an effort with Wilhelmsen, NorSea Group, Equinor, and Viking Cruises to develop liquid hydrogen distribution for ships. The project received NOK 33.5 million (~$3.7 million) from the PILOT-E program, and has been selected as Norway’s first hydrogen ferry, planned to begin operating in the Hjelmeland connection starting in 2021. 

Wilhelmsen and Air Liquide are also involved in the HySHIP project, which aims to build a hydrogen vessel to distribute liquid hydrogen in Norway. Under the concept name Topeka, the ship will feature a 3 MW proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell.

Rendering of renewable hydrogen fuel cell ship Topeka. Source: Wilhelmsen via Riviera

Glomfjord Hydrogen, owned by Nel ASA, Greenstat AS, and Meløy Energi AS, in May 2020 signed a cooperation agreement to produce hydrogen in Glomfjord Industrial Park, with the goal to offer zero-emission fuel for ferries in the Vestfjorden connection starting in 2024. Similar to the previously mentioned projects, this project will produce renewable hydrogen to decarbonize marine transport in the rejoin.

Toyota and the Energy Observer

In 2017, the first vessel to both generate and be powered by hydrogen, the Energy Observer, was launched. Since then, the zero-emission ship has embarked on a worldwide journey showcasing renewable energy technologies. For the Energy Observer’s 2020 world tour, FCHEA member Toyota, an official partner of Energy Observer, has outfitted the ship with the same fuel cells used in the company’s Mirai fuel cell vehicle. In September 2020, Energy Observer Developments showcased the GEH2 hydrogen generator, which also uses Toyota fuel cell technology. According to Toyota, the generator has a rated net power of 60 kilowatts (kW) with a peak of 92 kW.

The Energy Observer

Japan Hydrogen Ferry

In September 2020, a Japanese consortium headed by NYK Line, a shipping and logistics company, announced it was planning to develop a 100-passenger fuel cell tour boat. Construction is expected to start in 2023 with pilot operation commencing in 0224.

The Port of Antwerp

The Belgian Port of Antwerp is pushing for lower emissions and ordered a hydrogen-powered tugboat in August 2019. Unlike the above-mentioned vessels, the Hydrotug, built by Compagnie Maritime Belge, uses a combustion engine that burns hydrogen in combination with diesel. The fuel blend results in a lowering of emissions, as hydrogen burns with the only byproduct of water.

For global deep-decarbonization, it is important that companies and policy makers look to reduce the emissions of all sectors. Even though maritime transportation is hard-to-decarbonize, fuel cells and hydrogen are taking off as a way to move shipping and marine transport to renewable energy. From the green cruises in Norway, to heavy-duty shipping of goods, fuel cells are supporting the full global maritime supply-chain and will only continue to grow as the industry sets sail.