Holland Shipyards bags hydrogen retrofit for FPS

Dutch marine transportation services provider Future Proof Shipping has agreed to retrofit its inland vessel, Maas, to a zero-emissions hydrogen propulsion system.

Following months of energy profiling, the 110-metre inland container vessel will be retrofitted at the Holland Shipyards Group’s yard in Hardinxveld throughout the third quarter of 2021.

It is expected to be sailing 100 per cent on hydrogen power by December of this year, FPS said in its statement on Wednesday.

The retrofit process includes the replacement of internal combustion technology with hydrogen technology, removing both the main engine and gearbox, and installing a new modular propulsion system.

This will consist of electric motors, hydrogen tanks, a PEM fuel cell system and a battery system.

The compressed hydrogen tanks, the fuel cells and the battery system are separate units that can be removed for maintenance or replacement purposes.

The hydrogen and fuel cell system will be installed in the cargo space of the vessel, with the hydrogen being placed above the fuel cell system in two 40ft containers.

The fuel cell system will be triple redundant with 825 kW capacity and a 504 kWh lithium-ion battery pack for peak shaving, secondary and bridging power. The system will contain a 750V DC bus bar and an e-motor for propulsion.

Once back in service, the Maas will carry on shipping container cargo between Rotterdam and Antwerp and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2000 CO2e tonnes annually.

The project is supported by funding from the Dutch RVO (Subsidie Duurzaam Scheepvaart scheme), Interreg North Sea Program, via the ZEM Ports NS project, and a stimulation scheme for sustainable inland shipping from the Port of Rotterdam, which is executed by the Expertise en InnovatieCentrum Binnenvaart (EICB).

Over the next five years, FPS aims to build and operate a fleet of 10 zero-emission inland and short-sea vessels which they will offer for charter.