Despite a slow start, fuel cells are likely to feature prominently in shipping’s multi-fuel future. They are already in operation on short-haul ferries, coastal vessels, and some workboats, but larger systems for oceangoing vessels trading internationally are still under development.

Experts engaged in fuel cell technology development, believe their deployment in ocean trades is inevitable, and that as the technology develops, these systems will soon become another emissions-free power option for large vessels.

In Europe, there is an attempt to take the next step with the Rotterdam-based Samskip planning to introduce two new 135m container ships powered by liquid hydrogen (LH2) fuel cells on its Rotterdam-Oslo green corridor by 2027.

The two ‘SeaShuttles’, currently under construction in Cochin shipyard in India, will each be fitted with hybrid power systems combining 3.2MW hydrogen fuel cells with diesel generators and will have ABB Onboard DC Grid power distribution and energy storage control systems.

EU funding, via the HyShip project, which aims to demonstrate maritime LH2 operational and technical solutions for commercial shipping, including fuel production and bunkering supply chains are viable and can be successfully developed.

Although, LH2 supplier Rjukan’s 25MW LH2 project is not expected to produce green LH2 until 2028, it is not known where the fuel will be sourced ahead of that date.

Even so, fuel cells have a range of benefits that make them attractive to owners, including zero emissions, high efficiency, quiet operation, scalability and low maintenance. Because there are no pistons, crankshafts, gearboxes or exhaust cleaning systems, they can offer significant space savings and scope to raise revenue-generating capacity. 

However, depending on the fuel, more space may be required for bunker tanks. Methanol, for example, requires more than twice the volume of space compared with heavy fuel oil; ammonia needs up to three times; and hydrogen requires more than four times the space.

It is clear that some challenges remain, but the first marine fuel cell, a molten carbonate fuel cell, was tested successfully on Eidesvik Offshores’ platform supply vessel, Viking Lady, in Norway’s FellowSHIP project which ran between 2009 and 2015.

Subsequently, the EU-supported ShipFC project envisaged the installation of a 2MW ammonia- powered fuel cell system, developed by Alma Clean Power, on board Viking Energy, another Eidesvik-owned vessel.

At that time, however, the large fuel cell technology required for the vessel was still under development and funding challenges meant that the ShipFC project pivoted into an alternative ammonia fuel development, the Apollo Project. Apollo aimed to install an ammonia dual-fuel engine onto Viking Energy instead of the fuel cell.