Facts About GL’s Zero-emission Container Vessel Powered by Fuel Cell System

Germanischer Lloyd’ s hydrogen powered ship design concept has received great appreciation, thanks to its fuel cell technology. The zero-emission vessel concept as it is famously known is meant for the Northern European container feeder services. So what’s so different about this green ship concept? Let’s find out!

The Northern European container feeder vessel is a zero-emission green ship, powered by the groundbreaking fuel cell system technology, which makes it an extremely eco-friendly vessel. As stated by several, this vessel, if made, is sure to reduce carbon-dioxide and sulphur-dioxide emissions coming out of the ship.

According to the reports, the Northern European feeder vessel uses liquid hydrogen – LH2 as the fuel to generate power with a combined fuel cell and battery system. This design is applicable to a typical feeder services with an open top intake of 1,000 TEU and reefer positions at a speed of 15 knots.

The fuel cell system of the vessel delivers up to five Megawatts to the two podded propulsors. A battery system provides peak power and multiple type C tanks hold 920m3 of liquid hydrogen with which the vessel can take a roundtrip of ten full operating days.

The fuel cell propulsion technology operates with the concept that the surplus energy from an offshore wind farm would produce the liquid hydrogen. A 500 Megawatt wind farm could produce LH2 for five container feeder vessels.

The fuel cell propulsion technology results in less emission of greenhouse gases and generates energy efficiently against the conventional Marine Gas Oils (MGO).  It curbs the dangerous impact on the environment, and the challenges faced by the shipping industry with respect to increasing efficiency and minimizing the impact.

Though the cost of producing offshore liquid LH2 is higher than the existing Marine Gas Oils (MGO) at present, it is expected to become similar to the cost of MGO eventually if the emission surcharges are introduced.