Design Approach for Maritime Hydrogen Vessels

There is an urgent need of annual GHG emissions reduction from international shipping considering vessel population growth largely off-setting efficiency improvements. On a pathway of CO2 emissions reduction consistent with the Paris Agreement temperature goals, IMO has set aim to reduce the total annual GHG emissions by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008. To achieve IMO’s goal of at least 50% annual GHG emissions reductions by 2050, we need a new transportation technology with emissions reductions approaching 80% or more, to make the emission reductions robust enough against growth in either population, or growth in the intensity with which technology uses energy.

Hydrogen alone can provide Zero-GHG energy pathway for complete range of maritime operations. Inherently high efficiency hydrogen fuel cell energy conversion devices are powerful drivers for hydrogen technology. Today commercially useful, zero emission vessels powered by hydrogen fuel cell are being built across the world. The existing maritime regulation, “International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code)” which was originally formulated to cover liquid natural gas (LNG) as a primary propulsion fuel has recently been revised to include hydrogen as a bunker fuel. Design approach of maritime hydrogen vessels is very important to ensure the safe and timely deployment of hydrogen technologies in maritime environment. The design approach takes into considerations not only the revised IGF code but also adopting applicable sections of existing codes such as “National Fire Protection Association Code on Hydrogen Technologies”(NFPA-2) considering harsh environmental conditions and associated safety for maritime vs onland use of hydrogen