e1 Marine and NAVTEK partner on hydrogen-powered vessels

Renewable energy company e1 Marine has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with naval design and engineering specialist NAVTEK to develop hydrogen-powered vessels and port applications for the European market.

As explained, under the MoU, e1 Marine will incorporate methanol-to-hydrogen generator technology with PEM fuel cell power solutions on NAVTEK-identified marine applications.

Specifically, the initial project will be to develop a 120-160-meter hydrogen-powered car carrier design that requires 8-10 M.W. of propulsion power, with the focus then shifting to a methanol fuel cell powered hybrid tugboat design.

“NAVTEK is spearheading innovation to create the next generation of vessel designs that can seamlessly reduce total emissions. Our agreement with e1 Marine is the latest in a series of collaborations that brings together specialist technologies and expertise to meet the diverse needs of fleets and port operations in their journeys to reach a zero emissions future,” Ferhat Acuner, General Manager and Board Member at NAVTEK said.

“e1 Marine is committed to ensuring that safe, efficient, and affordable hydrogen is available at scale for the shipping industry. Collaboration is a key component in the decarbonization of the sector, and this partnership with NAVTEK will enable us to combine our expertise and open up opportunities for car carriers and tow boats to accelerate the decarbonization process,” Robert Schluter, Managing Director at e1 Marine added.

As part of the agreement, NAVTEK will be responsible for the naval architecture and overall vessel design, as well as the supply of electrical propulsion system design. 

Furthermore, the company will manage the power system and controls integration, and the ship assembly and construction.

On the other hand, e1 Marine will supply its methanol-to-hydrogen reformers to the vessels and provide best practices on system integration.

According to e1 Marine, the system produces zero particulates, zero NOx, zero SOx, and less CO2 than a diesel generator. The hydrogen that the methanol-to-hydrogen generator also meets ISO14687 (2019) purity specifications for all PEMFC applications.

In August this year, e1 Marine’s methanol-to-hydrogen generator received Approval in Principle (AiP) for marine applications from the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime Administrator.

The AiP covers applications on any vessel type and comes on the heels of an AiP from Lloyd’s Register in May 2022. e1 Marine said that approval provides further confirmation that the technology has the potential to become an important player in developing and delivering low-carbon energy to international maritime markets.