The era of fuel cell-powered superyachts has arrived
Hydrogen fuel cells only exhaust water and warm air when producing energy, making them the theoretically obvious choice in the drive for carbon emission-free operation of any vessel. However, several practical difficulties with storage, use aboard ship and availability of cleanly generated green hydrogen pose significant hurdles to adoption.
As with any emerging technology, it takes pioneering companies, and breakthrough launches to push past the obstacles. Feadship’s launch of the 118.8m Project 821 in May of this year is a perfect exemplar of this approach. Designed to accommodate 30 guests and 44 crew, with a top speed of 17 knots and range of 6500nm, this RWD design, represented by Edmiston, looks like it might be conventionally powered. But dive beneath the skin and you find a completely fossil-fuel-free power package.
Dual alternative fuels
Project 821 utilises two key emerging technologies – hydrogen fuel cells from PowerCell Group and, for longer duration voyages and areas where hydrogen is unavailable, HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil) biofuel for her MTU generators. Propulsion is delivered by 3200kW electric ABB Azipod drives. Feadship had already proven HVO use on its 2023 build 84.2m Obsidian, but hydrogen was a whole new ball game.
One cubic metre of liquid hydrogen weighs 70kg versus around 800kg/m3 of non-fossil diesel equivalent fuel. In practice though it requires eight to ten times more space than the energy equivalent in diesel fuel. That is because safely carrying it on a vessel requires a double-walled cryogenic storage tank with the temperature held at -253°C.
It helped that Project 821 is a large build. Despite that her 92m3 (4 tonnes) of hydrogen storage, 16 compact fuel cells, switchboard and vent stacks added four metres to the yacht’s original specification length.
There are some wins over pure electric, or hybrid options, however. The ship does use significant battery capacity but her 543kW of electrical storage is close to half that used on Feadship’s first hybrid build, the 2015 85.5m Savannah. Project 821’s fuel cell technology can provide an entire week’s worth of silent operation at anchor or enable navigation emission-free at 10 knots while leaving harbours or cruising in protected marine zones.
Hydrogen current challenges and future opportunities
The biggest difficulty outside of Feadship’s control is shoreside availability of hydrogen generally and green hydrogen (from renewable energy sources) in particular. Project 821’s onboard HVO capability offers a solution now to what happens when the tanks cannot be filled. Longer term her fuel cells can use methanol when the right systems become available. This liquid fuel can be stored in ambient conditions and then reformed into hydrogen using steam. In its greenest form methanol is renewable and generated from biomass.
Project 821 features other significant environmentally focused high technology systems including comprehensive waste heat recovery and a Smart AC system that automatically shuts down heating and air conditioning in unoccupied cabins.
It’s the hydrogen fuel cell system that is the headline news though. At the point Feadship took this project on there were no regulations for hydrogen storage and fuel-cell systems at class, flag-state or even IMO level. Feadship, Edmiston and Lloyd’s Register developed appropriately scaled equipment, protocols and safety regulations.
“The value of the research as well the development of class and flag safety regulations for an entirely new type of energy generation is an advancement we are proud to have made available to all,” Jan-Bart Verkuyl, Feadship Director and CEO Royal Van Lent Shipyard says. “Next year, for example, two long-route Norwegian passenger and car ferries will enter service utilising the system pioneered with PowerCell Group for Project 821.”
Read more about Project 821 here.
Feadship at the Young Professionals Club and Career Zone
Interested to learn more about Feadship? Representatives from the company are excited to be present within the Young Professionals Lounge and Career Zone at METSTRADE this year. As a leader in Dutch yacht building, Feadship is always seeking talented individuals who are passionate about innovation and craftsmanship. By meeting up in the Young Professionals Club Lounge you’ll be able to learn how every team member plays a vital role in crafting Feadship’s extraordinary vessels, such as Project 821 and discover what career pathways are available.
The Young Professionals Lounge and Career Zone, sponsored by Marine Resources, is available to all METSTRADE exhibitors and visitors under the age of 35. It offers unique opportunities to network and receive guidance on career development and anything else to do with the marine leisure industry. See here for further information: www.metstrade.com/theatres-and-specials/young-professionals-club
