EMEA News
Zepp.solutions to Retrofit Dutch River Cruise Vessel with Fuel Cells
As coastal and river ships seek zero-emission solutions, this project offers a promising retrofit option, especially for vessels operating in urban areas facing stricter emissions regulations.
Dutch hydrogen fuel cell firm Zepp.solutions has been selected to supply 1 MW hydrogen fuel cell systems for a retrofit project, it said in an email statement on Tuesday.
Under the NERA-H2 project, an existing river cruise ship will be retrofitted with hydrogen-powered fuel cells.
The initiative aims to develop electrification solutions for river cruise ships, targeting power needs of 5–10 MW for short distances and 10–20 MW for longer routes.
“With over 420 river cruise vessels operating in Europe and increasingly strict emissions limits, the opportunity for retrofitting ships with sustainable powertrains is substantial,” Zepp.solutions said.
While fuel cell systems are well-suited for smaller vessels, they currently lack the capacity to effectively power larger ships.
“The maritime sector’s decarbonization efforts must focus not only on newbuild vessels but also on upgrading existing fleets,” Jonas Brendelberger, co-founder of Zepp.solutions, said.
