LH2 Shipping has been awarded Nkr344.3m (US$36m) from Enova for the development and construction of two liquid-hydrogen-powered bulk carriers, expanding its hydrogen vessel portfolio to six projects.
The company, based in Bergen, Norway, said the award builds on previous Enova-supported vessel initiatives and reflects growing momentum for liquid hydrogen as a fuel alternative for short-sea shipping. The new projects continue LH2 Shipping’s long-term strategy of establishing commercially viable hydrogen-powered vessels while contributing to the fuel and bunkering infrastructure needed for large-scale adoption.
“This award is an important strategic milestone for LH2 Shipping,” said Ivan Østvik, the CEO of LH2 Shipping. “It strengthens our position as a developer of liquid-hydrogen-based zero-emission vessel solutions and brings us yet another step closer to our ambition of enabling a substantial fleet of hydrogen-powered vessels that can help establish a complete maritime liquid hydrogen value chain.”
Since introducing what it describes as the world’s first hydrogen-powered bulk carrier projects, LH2 Shipping has focused on moving beyond demonstration concepts toward commercially deployable vessels. The company said vessels five and six expand the project portfolio and support continued industrial learning across ship design, fuel systems, operations and infrastructure.
LH2 Shipping said the Enova support will also indirectly enable continued development of zero-emission solutions for passenger transportation and offshore operations, supporting Norway’s broader transition toward a low-emission maritime sector.
“If we are to succeed in the transition to low-and zero-emission solutions in the maritime sector, we depend on players who dare to go first,” said Elin Ulstad Stokland, head of hydrogen and ammonia initiatives at Enova. “LH2 Shipping shows how shipping companies can take the lead and adopt new technology. This is crucial to accelerating development and reducing emissions from shipping.”
LH2 Shipping said significant work remains before hydrogen becomes widely adopted across the industry, but believes continued project execution, infrastructure development and collaboration across the maritime value chain are key to realizing zero-emission shipping at scale.
The latest Enova award brings total support for the six vessels to more than Nkr800m (US$84m). Through the projects, LH2 Shipping aims to offer ship operators a way to decarbonize bulk transportation at scale while contributing to the infrastructure and experience needed for wider industry adoption.
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