Zepp.solutions to supply hydrogen fuel cell system for river cruise vessel

Dutch fuel cell supplier Zepp.solutions will provide a hydrogen fuel cell system to retrofit an existing river cruise vessel with a fully modular hydrogen and battery-electric drivetrain.

PHOTO: Zepp.solutions fuel cell system. Zepp.solutions

In a vessel, a drivetrain refers to components that transfer power from the engine to the propeller, or thrusters, enabling propulsion.

The hydrogen fuel cell systems will generate more than 1 megawatt (MW) of power. However, the company has not disclosed further details about the project, including the vessel's name or the retrofit timeline.

This initiative is part of the NERA-H2 project, led by shipbuilding alliance NERA Company, which aims to introduce hydrogen as an energy source for river cruise ships. The project targets power demands of 5-10 MW for shorter distances and 10-20 MW for longer voyages.

Largely funded by the Dutch Maritime Master Plan, the initiative will share insights from the NERA-H2 project to support industry-wide adoption of hydrogen propulsion.

“With over 420 river cruise vessels operating in Europe and increasingly strict emissions limits, the opportunity for retrofitting ships with sustainable powertrains is substantial,” Zepp.solutions stated.

By Tuhin Roy

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