A hydrogen-based energy system for ship applications developed in the FreeCO2ast project by the HAV Group has been granted preliminary approval by the Norwegian Maritime Authority. HAV views the approval as a major step toward the commercial use of hydrogen fuel by commercial vessels.
The Norwegian Maritime Authority issued a statement of preliminary assessment which confirmed the alternative design is considered feasible and sound in accordance with alternative design guidelines (MSC.1/Circ.1455) set out by the International Maritime Organization. The project can now move into the final design phase and will subsequently be offered at a commercial level to the global maritime market.
HAV Hydrogen is one of the first companies to receive this type of approval for a maritime hydrogen-based energy system with a liquid hydrogen tank below deck from the Norwegian flag.
“Hydrogen can be the key to achieve zero-emission shipping,” explained Kristian Osnes, project manager for the FreeCO2ast project and managing director at HAV Hydrogen. “This regulatory approval takes us an important step toward commercializing our hydrogen solutions and realizing the zero-emission ambition. The learnings from this comprehensive approval process are highly important for HAV Hydrogen’s competence in designing hydrogen system solutions.”
The hydrogen-based energy system came to fruition through FreeCo2ast, a project which is developing a high-capacity hydrogen energy system capable of being retrofitted on board one of Havila Kystruten’s coastal cruise ships.
“The almost four years of cooperation with internal and external project partners in the FreeCo2ast project is obviously a major contributor toward the preliminary design approval,” said Gunnar Larsen, CEO, HAV Group. “The ability to cooperate closely with highly experienced sister companies covering both ship design, electrical integration and hydrogen systems, gives us a competitive edge as a group.”
“We are now in a position where we can offer shipowners the necessary competence in selecting hydrogen system solutions and guide them through their approval processes, as well as delivering the marine zero-emission systems,” said Osnes. “The key is to align the right technology for the right need at the right time.”