Wartsila to develop technology for hydrogen production onboard vessels

Marine engine maker Wartsila and Finnish clean hydrogen producer Hycamite TCD Technologies have agreed to develop an onboard system to produce hydrogen from LNG.

PHOTO: Concept design of onboard hydrogen producer technology. Wartsila

The concept design is expected to be ready by mid-2023, and the prototype testing unit will be completed by the second half of 2024.

The system will allow ships to produce hydrogen from LNG onboard. The hydrogen output will then be blended with LNG to help ships reduce their emissions. The by-product from the process is solid carbon that can be stored on board, Wartsila says.

According to Wartsila, the technology can be applied to all LNG-powered vessels, adding that it enables even carbon-neutral power generation on board ships when using bio-LNG.

“This solution overcomes the lack of an existing hydrogen supply infrastructure. It also supports reducing the safety risks around storing and handling liquid hydrogen and enables a gradual decrease of the vessels’ environmental impact,” says Mathias Jansson, Wartsila’s director-fuel gas supply systems.

The collaboration will make hydrogen storage and availability a realistic option for the marine industry, says Hycamite founder and chief executive Laura Rahikka.

By Konica Bhatt

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