Concordia Damen, STC pick Zepp.solutions for training vessel

Dutch shipyard Concordia Damen and maritime educational institution STC Group have picked zepp.solutions to supply a hydrogen fuel cell system and storage solution for a training vessel.

The Ab Initio is a 67 meter-long ship that will serve the practical training of students of maritime courses by the STC-Group. The vessel that Concordia Damen is constructing will enter service in September 2022.

The ship contains an electric powertrain and over 200 square meters of solar panels. Knowing hydrogen will play an important role in the shipping industry, the STC board decided to also implement hydrogen technology on the ship in late 2021.

The parties greenlighted zepp.solutions on 31 March to supply the hydrogen fuel cell system and hydrogen storage system as a complete solution.

Zepp.solutions will supply a 45 kilowatts maritime fuel cell system that will charge the battery system of the Ab Initio as a range extender. The module is compact and features a fully integrated system design to reduce integration complexity and cost.

The fuel cell system will be supplied with hydrogen gas by a 350 bar hydrogen storage system with a hydrogen capacity of 35 kilograms. This combined solution is able to double the zero-emission sailing range of the vessel.

The casco is outfitted by Concordia Damen in Werkendam, the Netherlands, which is also where the zepp.solutions fuel cell system will be implemented.