Powercell gets first marine fuel cell order from engine maker

Swedish hydrogen fuel cell manufacturer PowerCell has secured a contract to develop and supply a marine fuel cell system.

IMAGE: Powercell’s hydrogen fuel cell system. Powercell

This is the company's first order for a marine fuel cell system, placed by an undisclosed Italian engine manufacturer.

The system, developed for large-scale applications including the marine industry, can deliver up to 1 megawatt (MW) of power through two integrated units.

According to the company, the marine fuel cell system “will serve as auxiliary power on board, with potential to scale into main propulsion in future applications.”

However, PowerCell has not revealed further details about the order, including the type of vessel the system will be integrated into.

While hydrogen fuel cells are typically used on smaller vessels like ferries, workboats, patrol vessels and offshore support ships, their use on larger vessels remains limited. Still, their deployment on smaller vessels offers valuable technical and operational insights toward advancing fuel cell use in larger ships.

“This new platform [fuel cell system] … strengthens our ability to support customers as fuel cells become a core part of vessel architecture,” PowerCell chief executive Richard Berkling said.

The fuel cell system is expected to receive approval from classification societies before entering the market in 2028.

Last month, classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) approved a hydrogen fuel cell system developed by PowerCell. In the same month, LR partnered with two South Korean shipbuilders to integrate solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology into LNG carriers.

 By Tuhin Roy

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