Imagine replacing a ship's heavy fuel tank with a giant, swappable battery pack that runs on hydrogen. Instead of waiting for ports to build expensive refueling pipes, ships can just swap out these 45-foot containers like Lego blocks. It's a way to get clean energy on board today without waiting for the rest of the world's infrastructure to catch up.
Shipping companies face strict IMO 2030/2050 decarbonisation targets but lack the port infrastructure to refuel hydrogen ships. This creates a gap where vessels cannot transition to clean energy because the fuel isn't available at the dock.
A 45-foot ISO container for hydrogen storage, a modular PEM fuel cell powertrain, and a logistics system for swapping pre-filled containers.
If you are a cruise operator dealing with strict emission limits in fjords — this project developed a 6MW hydrogen system that can cut 50% of emissions during a 14-day cruise. This allows you to meet IMO 2030 and 2050 targets without redesigning your entire fleet.
If you are a port operator dealing with the lack of hydrogen refueling infrastructure — this project developed a swapping system using 45’ ISO containers. This allows you to kick start a hydrogen supply chain for vessels without waiting for full permanent infrastructure to be built.
If you are a shipyard dealing with the demand for green propulsion in newbuilds — this project developed a modular containerised powertrain based on PEM Fuel Cells. This can be adapted to multiple vessel types and scaled to hundreds of units per year.
Based on available project data, specific pricing or cost per unit is not provided.
Yes, the project targets a scale-up to hundreds of units per year and aims to reach hundreds of vessels in commercial fleet order books.
Based on available project data, specific IP and licensing terms are not mentioned.
The solution is designed to help shipping companies achieve the IMO targets for 2030 and 2050 regarding greenhouse gas reduction.
The system is scheduled to be installed and tested during a shakedown cruise by 2026.
The consortium is heavily industry-driven with an 88% industry ratio, consisting of 14 industrial partners and only 1 university. With 16 partners across 7 countries and 3 SMEs, the group is structured for commercial deployment rather than academic research, focusing on the immediate needs of ship operators and fuel cell manufacturers.
Contact NAVALPROGETTI SRL in Italy for technical specifications on the ISO container design.
Contact us to find partners for hydrogen-powered fleet conversion.
