OSV Operates on Green Hydrogen

An offshore support vessel (OSV) has successfully operated on green hydrogen in the German Wadden Sea.

Aiming to minimize its environmental impact, operator Acta Marine, based in the Netherlands, decided to install eCap Marine’s containerized hydrogen-electric energy system on board its vessel Coastal Liberty.

At the end of February 2024 the refitted OSV received class certification by DNV for its newly installed hydrogen system on board. eCap Marine, contracted by Offshore Service Gesellschaft mbH, engineered the system enabling the vessel to operate without producing any emissions using hydrogen and batteries.

Over two years, eCap Marine developed a containerized system featuring two Ballard FCwave (2x200kW) fuel cells, a maritime battery system from Lehmann Marine, a fire extinguishing system, tank units, a custom power management system, and all necessary cooling and safety equipment.

Lars Ravens, managing director of eCap Marine, said that this kind of system is a unique installation on board a seagoing ship and scalable up to megawatt-sized designs for larger commercial ships and longer voyages as well as smaller inland vessels.

The green hydrogen for the installed fuel cells will be produced locally and sustainably, using offshore wind power on a electrolyze hydrogen plant a few kilometers from the vessel’s berth that was installed simultaneously to the fuel cell project. The electrolyzer is designed to expand in case of a higher demands. eCap Marine designed the three swappable high pressure tank systems with the focus on safety, and in alignment with the rules and regulations resulting to the transport of the units between the vessel and the electrolyze by truck. eCap’s head of projects, Frederike Engels, said that switching, disconnecting and reconnecting the hydrogen tanks is very easy and safe, taking just a few minutes due to the toolless design and standard connections for crane and truck.

For the vessel’s crew, the new system means reduced vibrations on board and a more direct propulsion allowing immediate response to the propeller shafts.