RINA approves Baker Hughes’ hydrogen-capable gas turbine for marine propulsion

Italian classification society RINA has awarded approval to energy tech company Baker Hughes’ hydrogen-capable gas turbine technology for marine propulsion applications.

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The technology is designed to operate on natural gas as well as up to 100% hydrogen.

The approval forms part of an ongoing collaboration between RINA and Baker Hughes aimed at advancing the use of gas turbine technology in the maritime sector as the industry responds to increasingly stringent decarbonisation regulations.

Originally developed for industrial power generation, the gas turbine delivers 12–17 megawatts (MW) in simple-cycle operation and up to 22 MW in combined-cycle applications. In simple-cycle mode, electricity is generated solely by the gas turbine, whereas combined-cycle system recovers waste heat to generate additional power through a steam turbine.

Following a maritime validation process, the technology has demonstrated compliance with marine-specific installation and operational requirements, supporting its integration into onboard systems and adherence to maritime regulations.

By Tuhin Roy

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