Inland Container Ship FPS Maas to Run on Hydrogen by End of 2022

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Friday August 19, 2022

The retrofit of Future Proof Shipping's inland container ship FPS Maas to run on hydrogen is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The ship arrived at the Holland Shipyards Group facility in Werkendam for its retrofit earlier this week. Once the work is completed -- scheduled for before the end of this year -- there will be a short period of testing before the vessel recommences commercial operations, a company representative told Ship & Bunker on Thursday.

The vessel is due to have its engine removed to be replaced with a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system.

The company is confident it will have the appropriate permissions to run the vessel on hydrogen in time for when the work is completed.

"The bunkering operation for the Maas entails swapping out empty hydrogen containers for full ones, it is similar to loading and unloading a gas container onto a vessel," the representative said.

"Our team has been in touch with all the concerned terminals and local and regional authorities to ensure that we secure the permits in time."

Hydrogen is seen as a leading candidate to become part of the future marine fuels mix thanks to the fact it is a non-carbon energy source, although development of hydrogen as fuel and the associated bunkering infrastructure is at an extremely early stage.

Ship & Bunker News Team
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