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Advice to merchant shipping from the men behind the cruise sector’s first zero emissions vessel

Battery and hydrogen fuel cell technology exist today to take merchant shipping to zero emissions, it just needs the hand of government, charterers and some pioneering shipowners to make it happen. That’s the message from two men responsible for one of the big announcements from the giant SMM shipping exhibition in Hamburg this week.

Splash reported yesterday on Norwegian cruise venture Northern Xplorer signing a letter of intent with Portuguese shipbuilder West Sea to construct what the company says will be the world’s first zero-emission cruise ship.

Under the deal, West Sea would build the 250-passenger vessel at its facility in Viana do Costello north of Porto, with expected delivery at the start of the 2025/2026 cruise season.

The vessel’s design by Multi Maritime features ABB’s fully electric propulsion system, including the battery and hydrogen fuel cell technology that will enable it to sail emissions-free in the Norwegian fjords and further afield as the green shift takes root. 

Bringing costs down depends on more first-movers joining the club


In merchant shipping, designers are working hard to come up with similar designs. The autonomous 120 teu container vessel Yara Birkeland, delivered to Norwegian owners Yara International nearly two years ago, was the first one to claim zero emissions, bar the clutch of sailing cargo vessels that are growing in popularity, especially in Europe. There have also been a host of inland barges debuting zero emission tech such as Zero Emission Services (ZES) from the Netherlands. The Norwegian cruise ship contract however is for a vessel on a different size scale.

“With the Northern Xplorer project we are lighting the way, so to speak, towards sustainable cruise operations and a new paradigm for the industry, similar to what we achieved with our hybrid-electric sightseeing vessels at The Fjords,” Rolf Sandvik, CEO of Northern Xplorer, told Splash, adding: “Most importantly we are demonstrating that the battery and hydrogen fuel cell technology is there and ready to be implemented right now, today.”

Sandvik previously commissioned the hybrid-electric sightseeing vessels Vision of the Fjords, built in 2016, and Future of the Fjords, built in 2018, in his former role as founder and CEO of tourism company The Fjords.

“It may sound presumptuous, but it is up to members of the wider merchant shipping community to follow our lead in order to create the critical market mass we need to reduce both battery and hydrogen prices, as well as to secure the infrastructure for hydrogen distribution and battery charging stations in ports,” Sandvik said. “A small number of customers means prices will forever stay high. As our numbers increase, prices will inevitably fall,” he pointed out.

The big advantage for Northern Xplorer, Sandvik conceded, has been the Norwegian government’s “inspired” decision to close the country’s UNESCO-listed world-heritage fjords to fossil fuel-powered ships from 2026.

“This creates a level playing field where everyone interested in competing in this market has no option but to make the same investment outlay as us. For once the politicians have done something truly admirable, and I am sure that in the future we will see the same kind of regulations elsewhere too,” Sandvik said.

Mickael Johansen, CEO of ship designers Multi Maritime, agreed, saying that proving the viability of the technology is a main factor in this landmark cruise project, something that can then be shared with merchant vessels.

“This project creates one more customer, but I agree that bringing costs down depends on more first-movers joining the club, including merchant owners. It will also encourage fuel suppliers to increase fuel availability,” Johansen said, urging charterers to follow the lead of the Norwegian government, by making certain tenders only available to owners operating low- or zero-emission ships.

“Obviously, it will take brave cargo principals to eliminate standard diesel-powered vessels from participating in such contracts, but those that are big transporters of goods between continents have that kind of clout,” Johansen said.

Battery and hydrogen fuel cell technology design breakthroughs have been a recurring theme at SMM this week. The world’s largest shipping exhibition wraps up its first physical get together in four years today – key headlines from the show can be found here.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.
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