Lloyd’s Register is launching a research and development project based on maritime technologies, which will identify the most ideal solutions connected with the shipboard installation and will develop a fuel cell system for each vessel, resulting to reduction of shipping emissions and elimination of SOx and NOx emissions.
Lloyd’s Register will be the coordinator/partner of REShiP (Renewable Energy Ship Propulsion).
The project is compliant with IMO’s Regulations concerning the limitations on NOx, SOx and particulate (PM) emissions; Thus, the project will focus on technologies on fuel cells for the electric energy production that have a low environmental impact.
Also, the project will study a variety of fuels that are to be used onboard vessels and will then develop a fuel cell system and a small-scale prototype with a correlated study for the installation on board.
The project’s goal is to design a complete and certified system assembled on a skid easy to install even in the case of a retrofit, that will be also certified for the on-board installation. Following, the project will design a medium-small size passenger transport vessel (150-200 passengers) that could be scaled up to cruise ships, able to reduce energy consumption up to 10%, and completely reducing local NOx, SOx, PM and CO2 emissions.
The project REShiP started on 1st April 2019.
Specifically, the project is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the framework of the Regional Operational Programme (2014-2020) of the Italian Region Friuli Venezia Giulia, Objective ‘Investments to support Growth and Employment Objective 2014-2020’ (Axis 1: ‘Strengthening research, technological development and innovation’, Action 1.3: ‘Support of collaborative R&D activities for the development of new sustainable technologies, products and services’.
