Euros in hand: Horizon Europe finances groundbreaking maritime application of advanced, secure Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) technology at megawatt scale for the Ship-ah2oy project, with a budget of 15 million.

The European Union's support for the Ship-aH2oy project signals a belief in the potential of LOHC technology to cut emissions from offshore shipping. This innovative project, which targets high-level thermal integration, aims to make maritime operations for offshore wind farms emission-free.

At the heart of the project is Hydrogenious' LOHC technology, which uses thermal oil benzyl toluene as a carrier material to handle hydrogen safely and efficiently at ambient conditions. The technology's hazard potential is smaller than that of diesel and clearly superior to ammonia, making it a promising solution for the maritime industry.

Østensjø Rederi, a leading provider of integrated maritime services, will ensure key interface and machinery space for the project in the Ship-aH2oy consortium. The project will also include the companies HIF Global, Wärtsilä, and Shell, which will apply the LOHC technology on a ship scale for the first time onboard a vessel.

The project will utilise LOHC and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) as a powertrain, providing a significant improvement over conventional internal combustion engines. This powertrain will be demonstrated on board one of Edda Wind's Commissioning/Service Operation Vessels (C/SOV). Edda Wind is thrilled to be a part of the Ship-aH2oy project, ready to take the next step toward zero-emission maritime operations for offshore wind farms.

Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies will oversee the detailed design of the LOHC release unit and its integration with the SOFC in the project. The aim is to demonstrate the efficient operation of the onboard power plant using green hydrogen, and plans exist to retrofit several other vessels with LOHC/SOFC systems after the first successful demonstration of the technology.

The Ship-aH2oy project will develop and demonstrate a zero-emission propulsion technology for ships using green hydrogen from liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) on a megawatt scale. The European Climate Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) has granted 15 million Euros to the consortium of 17 partners for the project (project period: 5 years). The consortium covers the whole value chain from design-offices and class-society to ship builders, owners, and operators, ensuring efficient dissemination and exploitation of the results.

The gaseous hydrogen molecules are bound to and released from the carrier in a chemical catalytic process without self-discharge over time. A replication study for the developed LOHC/SOFC system will follow, allowing easy replication in service vessels and ROPAX-vessels. Østensjø Rederi is proud to take part in the Ship-aH2oy project, which will make it easier to get more zero-emission ships with LOHC solutions at sea in the future.

The project will use the LOHC and SOFC powertrain to power Service Operation Vessels, providing a significant improvement over conventional internal combustion engines for powering these vessels. The project will also target high-level thermal integration, allowing SOFC residual heat to be used in the hydrogen release unit for the endothermic dehydrogenation process, aiming for a high overall system efficiency.

In conclusion, the Ship-aH2oy project is a significant step forward in the maritime industry's efforts to reduce emissions and transition to zero-emission technologies. With the support of the EU and key industry players, the project aims to demonstrate the efficient operation of the onboard power plant using green hydrogen, paving the way for a greener future for offshore wind farm operations.

Euros in hand: Horizon Europe finances groundbreaking maritime application of advanced, secure Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) technology at megawatt scale for the Ship-ah2oy project, with a budget of 15 million.