Poseidon Marine H2 has hired a team of internationally renowned engineers to help speed the company’s goal of building a hydrogen-powered boat within the next 18 months.
This is part of the company’s goal to capitalize on the fast expanding demand for decarbonizing maritime technologies.
Dynamic Efficiency and Poseidon Marine H2 have agreed to collaborate on the creation of an emissions-free leisure ship, with principal engineers Peter Mastalir and Kevin Morgan leading the charge.
The two have a combined 75 years of expertise heading large-scale mechanical projects, with Peter additionally having spent several years as the president of a marine engineering firm.
“We are thrilled to be working closely with the pair, who have a proven track record spearheading some of Australia’s most innovative mechanical and electrical engineering projects,” said a Poseidon H2 spokesperson. “This partnership marks an important step forward to providing a clean solution for a sector that makes up 2.5% of global emissions.”
“Their expertise, from design to construction, will prove critical to seeing a hydrogen-fueled boat in Australian waters in the next 18 months and play a pivotal role in meeting the global demand for decarbonising the maritime industry.”
Peter and Kevin, who have been appointed to the Poseidon H2 board of directors, are currently considering purchasing the hull of an existing pleasure vessel and remodeling the inside. A series of experiments will now be done to determine which cutting-edge system is most suited for hydrogen-powered vessel power and is scalable across markets.
“Initially, we will be following a rigorous 10-month research and development process, then commence building the most commercially viable option,” said the newly appointed board member, Peter Mastalir. “We intend to use existing technologies as much as possible, which is why we are looking to use an existing hull design with a unique upper deck and internal layout.”
“Our number one goal is to build a better boat, it just happens to be that it will be powered by hydrogen. The brief is to ensure it has an equivalent operational range, requires less maintenance and is cheaper to run than traditional fuel sources like diesel.”
The business is certain that they will be able to develop a model that will allow for the smooth installation of a new top onto a recycled hull. Once commercialized, they believe it will result in rapid adoption by major participants in the industry, given the majority of the infrastructure required to build a carbon-free boat is already in place.
“The time has come to be serious about developing carbon-free maritime applications. A step-by-step approach to modifying the current infrastructure is critical to the success of green hydrogen in the marine sector. Poseidon Marine H2 will be invaluable in achieving these outcomes.”