Windcat Workboats, in conjunction with its joint venture partners TSM and FRS, has acquired an order for six hydrogen-powered vessels to be delivered by 2024.

This purchase is in response to Windcat Workboats and CMB.TECH’s May 2022 introduction of the Hydrocat 48, the world’s first hydrogen-powered CTV. After delivery, Vestas conducted trials with the ship.

Four MK3.5H2 series vessels, two of which will be delivered in 2022 and two in 2023, are among the six additional hydrogen-powered vessels. The next ship in this series will be used by the company’s joint-venture partner, FRS Windcat, in the German offshore sector. The new MK5 series’ two additional vessels will be 27-meter vessels with twice the hydrogen capacity of the MK3.5H2 series.

Single Fuel

Windcat Workboats and CMB.TECH are collaborating to improve engine efficiency in the hopes of increasing the proportion of hydrogen used in their dual fuel design. To enable a mono-fuel option via the internal combustion engine, it is planned to create the technology and infrastructure necessary to do so in the long run (ICE).

Increased demand for hydrogen, spurred by the deployment of more hydrogen-powered vessels, will help pave the way for the expansion of hydrogen infrastructure.

Windcat and CMB.TECH have previously created methods for transporting hydrogen to ships. There’s a 40-foot 500-bar trailer included that can deliver hydrogen for on-site refueling of any and all existing applications. Because of this, hydrogen can be bunkered at a variety of ports that are located in remote areas away from the hydrogen supply. Hydrogen bunkering is available for the Hydrocat fleet thanks to this system’s ability to serve a wide variety of applications and clients.