ABB and Ballard are progressing with their partnership to decarbonize marine transport and have received an AiP from DNV for their high-power fuel cell concept, the development of which was launched in 2018. With the AiP in place, the jointly developed solution can be completed within the next couple of years for application onboard a wide range of vessels.

“We are pleased to have worked with ABB and Ballard on this AiP,” said Tuva Flagstad-Andersen, Regional Manager North Europe, DNV Maritime. “Hydrogen plays an important role in the energy transition, so it is essential to establish safe technologies that the industry has confidence in. As an early phase verification for new design concepts, based on long-standing, trusted and independent standards, an AiP can help build this confidence.”

The high-power fuel cell unit is a flexible solution that will support the energy needs of a diverse range of vessels requiring multiple 3 MW blocks of power. A cruise vessel operating in coastal areas could either run entirely on fuel cell power or switch to it when operating in environmentally sensitive areas or emission control zones, while a ferry with a regular schedule and frequent bunkering opportunities could operate solely on fuel cell power. For ocean going vessels, fuel cell power could support auxiliary needs. The concept of the solution also envisions the integration with an energy storage system.

“ABB’s industry-leading experience in marine solutions and Ballard’s expertise in development and deployment of megawatt-scale fuel cell systems for land-based use has proven to be the right combination, enabling us to take the next step in our joint efforts to make this technology available for larger vessels,” said Jesper Themsen, President and CEO of Ballard Power Systems Europe A/S. “Securing an AiP offers a signpost to the maritime industry regarding the potential of this truly transformative concept.”

“This AiP is an important milestone in making high-power fuel cells commercially available, and it underpins our commitment to bring new levels of efficiency, reliability and sustainability to the global shipping industry,” said Juha Koskela, Division President, ABB Marine & Ports. “As we continue to pave the way toward decarbonizing shipping, we are confident that vessel electrification, including fuel cell technology, will play a pivotal role in helping the marine industry achieve its environmental targets.”

Shipping contributes close to 3% to global GHG emissions every year and pressure to transition the industry to more sustainable power sources has resulted in fixed reduction targets from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations agency responsible for regulating shipping. IMO aims to cut for GHGs from ships by at least 50% by 2050 from 2008 levels.