RINA announced the Approval in Principle (AiP) of Swedish designer FKAB Marine Design’s hydrogen powered MR Tanker, the first AiP of a design using currently viable technology and fuels that achieves IMO 2050 targets.
The propulsion is based on combining the ship’s fuel (LNG) with steam to produce hydrogen and CO2. The MR LNG/hydrogen-fuelled vessel is the result of a joint project with ABB and Helbio (a subsidiary of Metacon AB).
According to Antonios Trakakis, Greece Marine Technical Director at RINA, the new design enables the use of hydrogen as a fuel today without the need for bunkering and storage on board and exceeds IMO 2050 targets for 70% reduction of carbon intensity.
The MR tanker design is based on combining LNG with steam in a Helbio gas reformer to split LNG molecules into hydrogen and CO2.
Hydrogen is then directly used to fuel the internal combustion engines and fuel cells in a hybrid marine power system by ABB. The CO2 is captured by splitting the LNG molecules, rather than from exhaust gas.
Furthermore, using this design, hydrogen usage can be progressively increased to maintain a top CII rating throughout the life of the ship, reducing CO2 emissions in a parallel slope with the applicable regulations.
The ship can meet full decarbonisation targets by either running the engine on 100% hydrogen, or by producing all the power needed by fuel cells.
The hydrogen is created onboard the vessel and all necessary equipment can be easily fitted on deck, so ship owners can convert existing vessels. The fuel cells have been specifically developed to produce more power and fewer emissions
said Andreas Hagberg, Head of Sales & Marketing Department at FKAB.
