In collaboration with HAV Hydrogen and Norwegian Hydrogen and Norwegian shipping company Maris Fiducia Norway has secured NOK 300 million ($38.4 million) in funding from Enova, the state-owned enterprise dedicated to promoting environmental innovation in Norway.
This substantial funding will support developing, constructing, and operating five hydrogen-powered dry bulk vessels, marking a significant milestone in the maritime industry’s transition to zero-emission technologies.
Enhancing Domestic Maritime Transport
The funding was awarded under Enova’s “hydrogen in vessels” program, the largest allocation ever made by the organization to enhance domestic maritime transport. This initiative aims to support companies committed to using hydrogen as a fuel in vessels, thereby advancing the development of zero-emission vessel technologies.
“We are thrilled that Enova recognized the strong case for the project with this award, which is an important milestone for our team in Norway,” said Markku Vedder, CEO of the Maris Fiducia Group. “A little over one year ago, we were inspired by a conversation with Jørgen Kopperstad from Norwegian Hydrogen about fuel availability and technical competence in the Norwegian maritime cluster. It has been quite a journey since then, but we are just starting.”
Innovative Vessel Design and Technology
The five 6,000 deadweight ton (dwt) vessels will be designed by Dutch ship designer Ankerbeer. Their hulls will feature designs optimized for efficiency and low fuel consumption. The power plant will have a dual-fuel hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE) and fuel cells for auxiliary power. This hybrid approach leverages both technologies’ strengths to maximize efficiency and minimize emissions.
A key component of these vessels will be the Zero Emission Pod (ZEPOD), developed by HAV Hydrogen. Each ZEPOD will contain a complete hydrogen energy system capable of delivering 400 kW, sufficient to run all auxiliary systems on the bulk carriers. The ZEPODs are designed with scalability in mind and can be upgraded to 1 MW capacity if required.
HAV Hydrogen is developing its first full-scale ZEPOD, which is expected to be ready for testing next year. The preliminary delivery schedule indicates that, depending on the shipyard’s timeline, the sequence of vessel deliveries will commence at the end of 2025.
Securing Green Hydrogen Supply
Norwegian Hydrogen, responsible for producing and distributing green hydrogen, will ensure a secure supply of hydrogen fuel for Maris Fiducia and Schulte & Bruns. The latter will charter the vessels on a zero-emission time basis. This collaboration guarantees that the vessels will operate on green hydrogen, significantly reducing their carbon footprint and contributing to the decarbonization of the maritime sector.
