Vinssen secures RINA’s type approval for maritime fuel cell stack

South Korea’s maritime decarbonization technology specialist Vinssen has obtained type approval from Italian classification society RINA for its 60 kW maritime hydrogen fuel cell stack.

Vinssen revealed the approval on March 21, stating it strengthens international confidence in hydrogen fuel cell technology and accelerates the demonstration and commercialization of its 120 kW maritime fuel cell power generation system.

In order to receive RINA’s type approval, Vinssen’s technology underwent the certification process involving performance and environmental tests based on IEC standards.

According to the company, the vibration test confirmed the system’s durability under specific frequency and acceleration conditions while the dielectric strength test showed that the system could withstand high voltage without insulation failure, meeting all required standards and confirming the fuel cell module’s reliability and safety for maritime and shipbuilding applications.

Looking ahead, Vinssen intends to accelerate the development of next-generation hydrogen fuel cell solutions, including a 150kW high-output fuel cell stack and an onboard fuel cell power generation system using reformed gas (75% hydrogen and 25% nitrogen).

The aim is to increase the feasibility of applying MW-class hydrogen fuel cell systems to larger vessels, the company said.

In recent news, Vinssen secured approval in principle (AiP) from South Korean classification society Korean Register (KR) for the country’s ‘first’ tugboat using a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system.