Samskip orders a pair of hydrogen-powered containerships from Cochin Shipyard

Dutch logistics company Samskip has ordered two hydrogen-powered short-sea containerships from Indian shipbuilder Cochin Shipyard with an option for two more vessels.

PHOTO: Samskip’s concept of hydrogen-powered short-sea containership. Samskip

Designed by Norwegian ship architect Naval Dynamics, the vessels will be powered by hydrogen fuel cells with diesel generators as backup. These vessels will eventually switch to green hydrogen to power fuel cells.

Samskip expects these vessels to achieve carbon dioxide emission reduction of 25,000 mt/yr.

These containerships will also be able to harness green shore power during port calls, thus attaining zero emissions while docking, Samskip says.

Delivery of these vessels is expected to commence from the third quarter of 2025. Samskip will deploy them to serve its west European routes.

The project has been backed by the Norwegian government green funding program, which aims to boost adoption of innovative technologies for emission-free transportation.

These vessels “will allow sustainable and effective sea freight operations,” Naval Dynamics says in a statement.

By Tuhin Roy

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