PowerCell has secured an SEK 165m ($16.3m) order for its hydrogen fuel cell systems from an unnamed Italian marine original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for installation on commercial cruise ships.
Consisting of 56 units of its new Marine System 225, the order will see more than 6.3MW used to provide auxiliary power to a ship’s internal electricity system, with another 3.2MW will be dedicated to internal testing.
A separate 3.2MW will also be installed onboard a different vessel.
With deliveries expected to kick off in the middle of 2025, the Swedish fuel cell firm says the installations represent one “world’s largest” marine hydrogen fuel cell systems to date.
Various shipbuilders and cruise operators have been exploring the use of hydrogen fuel cells onboard their vessels.
Two years ago, luxury shipbuilder Fincantieri, agreed to construct two cruise ships equipped with 6MW of fuel cells to power the onboard hotel operations with MSC Group’s Cruise Division.
Read more: Hydrogen to power luxury cruise ships
Although fuel cells are unlikely to power the propulsion of large vessels, many proponents have highlighted the potential of the technology in providing emissions-free port-side power.
Richard Berkling, CEO of PowerCell, said, “We deliver a fuel cell solution that is not only climate-friendly, but also provides the advantage of reduced noise from the ship. This order confirms the importance of hydrogen-electric solutions for the marine industry.”
Get up to speed on hydrogen with Class of H2
At a time when hydrogen is the new gold rush for so many investors and start-ups alike, and the skills gap risks becoming the skills gulf, H2 View’s Class of H2 presents a series of hydrogen training modules.
Our first masterclass is created to bring your hydrogen fundamentals up-to-speed, covering the basics, e-fuels and ammonia, low-carbon and green hydrogen production, turquoise hydrogen production, biomass pathways, and underground hydrogen storage.
To book your on-demand training session, click here. Or you can reach out to the Class of H2 team at +44 1872 225031 or [email protected].
