TECO 2030-led consortium receives grant to retrofit LNG vessel with fuel cells

The consortium has received a grant to retrofit an LNG-fuelled vessel with hydrogen-powered fuel cells.

PHOTO: TECO 2030's fuel cell stack. TECO 2030

The consortium comprises Norwegian tech firm TECO 2030, engineering company BLOM Maritime and Rotterdam-based transportation firm Samskip. The amount of the grant has not been disclosed.

The retrofitting will help reduce emissions from Samskip’s vessel Kvitnos, which operates on a weekly service from Rotterdam and along the Norwegian coastline to Hammerfest in northern Norway. They will also facilitate long-term hydrogen fuel supply contracts for the vessel.

TECO 2030's fuel cell stack is made up of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells with a 400-kilowatt output. These PEM fuel cells can be powered by compressed or liquid hydrogen, or hydrogen derived from carriers such as ammonia and methanol. According to TECO 2030, the fuel cell system can be retrofitted onto existing vessels or installed on newbuilds for primary propulsion or auxiliary power supply.

Last month, TECO 2030’s marine fuel cell system achieved full power output during trials using hydrogen as fuel.

By Manjula Nair

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