The Anglo-Dutch multinational oil and gas company, Shell, to trial the use of hydrogen fuel cells for ships for the first time in Singapore.
If the trial is successful, it would lead the way for cleaner , hydrogen-powered shipping.
The charterer of the trial vessel and the hydrogen fuel provider, is working with SembCorp Marine Ltd and its wholly owned subsidiary LMG Marin AS, who will design the fuel cell and retrofit the vessel, as well as Penguin International, who owns the roll-on/roll-off vessel.
The trial will develop and install an auxiliary power unit Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell on an existing roll on/roll-off (RoRo) vessel that transports goods, vehicles and equipment on lorries between the mainland and Shell’s Pulau Bukom Manufacturing Site.
The team will first carry out a feasibility study with the intention to install the fuel cell next year. The vessel will operate for a trial period of 12 months and customers and partners will be welcomed to participate.
The General Manager of Shell Shipping and Maritime, Asia Pacific & Middle East, Nick Potter, said:
“This trial is an important step in demonstrating the applicability of hydrogen and fuel cells on ships,”
“We see fuel cells and hydrogen as a promising pathway for decarbonising shipping and working with partners in this way will develop our understanding of this critical technology,”
“This trial is a testament to the thriving sector ecosystem in Singapore that makes this possible. It is also part of our ambition to help accelerate progress towards net-zero emissions in the shipping sector, an important pillar of the Singapore economy.”
Shell has also announced it will be joining a consortium to develop an LNG fuel cell trial on a commercial deep-sea vessel, with partners from across the value chain, to demonstrate the maritime suitability of fuel cells and develop the technology for use with future fuels.
