SH2IPDRIVE hydrogen consortium gets boost from the Dutch R&D Mobility Fund

SH2IPDRIVE, (Sustainable Hydrogen Integrated Propulsion Drives) a Dutch project consortium focused on maritime hydrogen applications, today announces the receipt of a subsidy of 24.2 million EUR from the R&D Mobility Fund in the Netherlands.

SH2IPDRIVE consists of a diverse group of 25 companies and knowledge institutions from across the maritime sector working together on a broad and ambitious innovation project to accelerate the introduction of hydrogen as a marine fuel. Developing the application of hydrogen is one of the pillars of the Dutch Maritime Master Plan, of which this consortium contributes extensively. The total project fund of 34 million EUR affords extensive research and development into multiple avenues for hydrogen application and accelerates the move to zero-emission shipping.

Klaas Visser, Ship Design, Production & Operations - TU Delft, said:

“SH2IPDRIVE will ensure the Dutch maritime sector is in a prime position to respond to the expected market demand for hydrogen systems by providing the necessary innovation stimuli to the technology developers, suppliers, shipowners and shipbuilders and will strengthen the country’s competitive position as a leader in the field of maritime hydrogen applications.”

SH2IPDRIVE is laying the foundation for a strong maritime hydrogen economy in the Netherlands. The results of SH2IPDRIVE align entirely with the objectives formulated in the Dutch Maritime Master Plan, aimed at strengthening the position of the Netherlands as a world leader in sustainable shipbuilding and shipping.

The project activities cover the full scope of hydrogen research and development and are organised in nine different work packages including Bunker and Storage Systems, Hydrogen Carriers, Fuel Cells, Data Collection and System Validation, System Integration, Modular Testing, Ship Design and Safety.

Marjon Castelijns, Manager Business Development - Future Proof Shipping (FPS), said:

“This is the project we need to boost knowledge and technology in the field of hydrogen applications in the maritime sector and to create a strong Dutch ecosystem. We already know that hydrogen can be produced completely carbon-free through green electricity. With the electrochemical conversion of hydrogen in a fuel cell, power can be generated onboard to drive ships fully emissions-free with no greenhouse gases, nitrogen oxides, or particulate matter being released. However, to achieve a fully zero-emissions shipping sector quickly and cost-effectively, a lot more research is required in optimal techniques, applications and standardisations. This is exactly what all parties of SH2IPDRIVE are working on.”

The main objective of SH2IPDRIVE is the development of reliable, safe, standardised, scalable and cost-effective solutions for zero-emission propulsion and energy systems for hydrogen-based ships.

The project will conduct new research into the development of safe applicable technologies for hydrogen in four different forms: (1) compressed hydrogen gas and (2) liquid hydrogen, and hydrogen bound to carriers such as (3) liquid organic hydrogen carriers and (4) borohydrides.

Another main area of exploration for the team is research into new fuel cell systems with a greater power density, and a longer lifespan, the use of residual heat and the scaling up of fuel cells.

The team will also work on developing technical standards for bunkering and storage of hydrogen for shipping, integration of hydrogen technology onboard ships and ship design. For this purpose, data collection and system validation are included in the project and the integral safety concept of these new systems is also taken into account.

Developments of technological components and subsystems are validated in five concept designs representative of different ship types that are important for the Dutch shipping sector, inland shipping new construction, Inland shipping retrofit, coastal/shortsea shipping, passenger vessels and specialist ships.