Marine specialist Vinssen has received an Approval in Principle (AiP) for South Korea’s “first” hydrogen-powered tugboat.
Korean Register awarded the certification for the vessel, which features a 2,700kW hydrogen fuel cell capable of storing the excess electricity generated in batteries for low-load operations.
During high-output scenarios, the stored energy supplements the fuel cell’s power to ensure stable and efficient propulsion.
The BP40-tonne fuel cell-powered tugboat project results from a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with KRE, a ship design, retrofit engineering and maritime infrastructure engineering company.
In an online statement, Vinssen said the vessel provides a “practical and scalable eco-friendly propulsion system for port operations, optimising hydrogen energy use based on the tugboat’s operational profile.
“The system is designed to meet current and future environmental regulations while delivering exceptional performance in harsh and specialised marine environments.”
Last October, the Korean firm began the construction of a 17.4m hydrogen-powered leisure boat after the design was approved by the Korea Marine Traffic Safety Authority (KOMSA).
This design featured an advanced 600kW propulsion system that also combined fuel cell power with battery technology.
In the US, Amogy successfully demonstrated a zero-emission tugboat powered by hydrogen in September 2024.
The company retrofitted a vessel with its ammonia-to-power system, which converts liquid ammonia into nitrogen and hydrogen. The extracted hydrogen is then fed into a fuel cell system, enabling clean propulsion.
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