hydrogen shipping and its role as a maritime fuel

Hydrogen shipping and its role as a maritime fuel is emerging as a key technological solution to the maritime industry’s dependence on conventional fossil fuels such as heavy fuel oil (HFO) and marine gas oil (MGO). These fuels generate high emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and particles that are harmful to the environment¹, which have a negative impact on both the atmosphere and public health in coastal and port areas.

Given this scenario, environmental impact and international regulations have taken center stage in the transformation of the industry. Organizations such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have established stricter emission reduction standards, forcing ports, shipping companies, and public policy makers to seek sustainable energy solutions.

This article analyzes how hydrogen shipping can drive maritime decarbonization, highlighting its advantages and the challenges of its implementation.

Green hydrogen as a maritime fuel

Green hydrogen, produced using renewable energies, differs from gray hydrogen in that it is carbon-free. Its use in maritime transport enables more sustainable operations and represents a strategic solution for the decarbonization of ships and port terminals.

Production of green hydrogen through electrolysis

Green hydrogen, produced through the electrolysis of water using renewable energies such as solar or wind power, differs from gray hydrogen, which is obtained from fossil fuels and generates CO₂ emissions. Electrolysis involves separating water molecules (H₂O) into hydrogen and oxygen using clean electricity, ensuring pollutant-free production with zero direct carbon emissions.

Advantages over traditional fuels

Green hydrogen offers significant advantages over conventional fossil fuels, including the elimination of greenhouse gas emissions during combustion and a significant reduction in atmospheric pollutants such as NOx, SOx, and particulates. Its energy density and compatibility with fuel cells and engines designed for hydrogen make it a viable alternative for the maritime industry seeking to decarbonize its operations.

Applications in ships and port terminals

The use of green hydrogen in ships and port terminals allows us to move towards sustainable and resilient maritime transport. Although global production and availability still pose a challenge, its gradual implementation in fleets and terminals can significantly contribute to reducing the environmental footprint, improving energy efficiency, and promoting technological innovation in port infrastructure and supply logistics.

Challenges and obstacles in hydrogen shipping

The transport of hydrogen in maritime terminals faces significant challenges in terms of logistics, storage, safety, costs, and availability. Widespread adoption requires innovative solutions and strategic planning to ensure that hydrogen can be efficiently and safely integrated into the maritime supply chain.

Port infrastructure for hydrogen

Hydrogen requires specialized infrastructure in ports, including pressurized or cryogenic storage systems, charging stations, and secure distribution networks. Modernizing terminals and building pilot facilities are essential steps in preparing ports for the transition to cleaner fuels. However, maritime terminals are currently beginning to implement pilot projects that demonstrate the viability of hydrogen as a fuel in maritime transport, paving the way for its global expansion.

Safety and handling of hydrogen on ships

Due to its high flammability and low energy density, hydrogen requires strict safety protocols for its transport and handling on board. This includes leak detection systems, adequate ventilation, and specialized training for crew members, ensuring safe maritime operations and minimizing risks. In general, maritime hydrogen shipping poses new technological and operational challenges, such as the implementation of adequate infrastructure for its safe storage and transport.

Production costs and economic viability

Despite their advantages, green hydrogen-based fuels are still more expensive than traditional fuels. However, the industry is showing a clear inclination towards cleaner alternatives. In 2022, 11% of new ship orders were for hydrogen-ready vessels, demonstrating a trend toward the use of alternative fuels². This transition is significant in achieving a more sustainable and environmentally friendly maritime sector in the future.

Sustainable strategies for hydrogen adoption

The adoption of hydrogen in maritime transport requires sustainable strategies that integrate regulations, technological planning, incentives, and international cooperation. These strategies not only accelerate the transition to clean fuels, but also ensure that their implementation is efficient, safe, and economically viable in the long term.

• International regulatory and policy strategies: The implementation of hydrogen as a fuel is guided by international regulatory frameworks and standards, which seek to ensure safety, technological compatibility, and environmental sustainability. Complying with these regulations allows ports and maritime operators to reduce legal and environmental risks, as well as align themselves with global decarbonization goals³.

• Technological innovation and pilot projects: In recent decades, numerous port and maritime expert organizations have developed various pilot projects, technological innovations, and tools to advise, monitor, and report on port performance in terms of energy and the environment, with northern European ports applying the most rigorous environmental requirements⁴. Applied research on ships and port terminals facilitates the identification of efficient and safe solutions, accelerating the adoption of hydrogen in the maritime sector.

• Government incentives and international collaboration: Financial incentives, subsidies, and international cooperation programs encourage investment in hydrogen technologies and facilitate their integration into port infrastructure for maritime hydrogen shipping . Collaboration between governments, companies, and international organizations is key to overcoming economic and technical barriers, promoting more sustainable maritime transport globally. In this context, the European Hydrogen Strategy is positioned as a fundamental pillar for promoting the use of alternative energies, such as hydrogen, in the maritime industry.

Maritime terminals in hydrogen shipping

Maritime terminals play a strategic role in the energy transition, acting as key points for the management, storage, and distribution of hydrogen. Their technological and operational adaptation is essential to ensure that hydrogen shipping is safe, efficient, and scalable, contributing directly to the decarbonization of global maritime transport.

Hydrogen storage and supply at terminals

Terminals must have specialized infrastructure for hydrogen storage and supply, considering its highly flammable nature and low energy density. Technologies such as cryogenic tanks, compression systems, and secure distribution networks are essential to ensure operational continuity and safety in fuel handling.

Integration with renewable energies and port digitalization

The integration of hydrogen with renewable energies (solar, wind) allows for the generation of a clean and sustainable supply. In addition, port digitalization, through hydrogen monitoring, control, and traceability systems, optimizes operational efficiency and reduces risks associated with its handling.

Examples of pilot projects and success stories

Various international pilot projects demonstrate the viability of hydrogen shipping in maritime terminals, combining technological innovation, energy efficiency, and operational safety. These success stories serve as a reference for the global expansion of hydrogen as an alternative fuel in the maritime sector.

For example, the FuelEU Maritime initiative aims to increase the adoption of sustainable alternative fuels and help decarbonize the maritime sector⁵. By addressing the demand for alternative fuels, the FuelEU Maritime proposal will have direct implications for alternative fuel infrastructure and must therefore be compatible and well aligned with existing legislation, specifically the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive.

International hydrogen shipping projects

1.H2Ports – Port of Valencia, Spain: This pioneering project in Europe implements hydrogen technologies in port equipment, such as tractors and container handlers, with the aim of reducing emissions in port logistics operations.

2. Port of Gothenburg, Sweden: A pilot test is being conducted in which a hydrogen generator supplies electricity to docked ships, evaluating the viability of hydrogen as a clean energy source in port operations.

3. Maritime Hydrogen Highway – United Kingdom: With an investment of £1.2 million, this program explores the production, transport, and use of hydrogen to create a greener maritime sector, in line with the British government’s “Maritime 2050” vision.

4. Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands: A hydrogen infrastructure is being developed that includes a hydrogen pipeline between Rotterdam and Germany, with the aim of establishing an efficient distribution network for shipping and industry.

5. Port of Vancouver, Canada: DP World has completed initial testing of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered RTG crane, evaluating its performance in real-world operations and its potential to reduce emissions at the port.

The following image shows a representative image of the Maritime Hydrogen Highway project in the United Kingdom, which refers to the development of a hydrogen distribution and transport network.

Energy hubs for maritime hydrogen shipping

The evolution of port terminals into smart energy hubs has become a key step in making maritime hydrogen shipping viable. These ports not only function as loading and unloading points, but are also transforming into logistics centers where digitization, automation, and sustainability converge, with the aim of ensuring safer, more efficient, and cleaner operations.

Port digitalization, through the use of IoT, artificial intelligence, and real-time management systems, allows for the monitoring of hydrogen storage and flow, optimizing the logistics chain and reducing risks associated with leaks or energy losses. At the same time, the automation of processes in the handling of cryogenic tanks and supply systems contributes to increased safety and efficiency in the operation of hydrogen-powered ships.

The benefits of this transformation are not only technical, but also economic, environmental, and social. On the one hand, operational efficiency reduces transportation and storage costs; on the other, the decarbonization of the maritime sector contributes to international climate commitments. In addition, ports that embrace this transition position themselves as strategic players in the global economy, attracting investment, innovation, and new employment opportunities.

In this context, smart energy hubs represent the future of maritime hydrogen shipping establishing themselves as key points for ensuring a secure, sustainable, and competitive global supply.

Conclusions

hydrogen shipping represents a strategic opportunity to accelerate the transition to a decarbonized economy. The adaptation of maritime terminals as energy hubs, together with the development of safe and efficient technologies, will enable hydrogen to establish itself as a key fuel on international routes.

While challenges in terms of costs, infrastructure, and regulation still remain, pilot projects and international cooperation demonstrate that hydrogen shipping is viable and necessary to ensure the sustainability of global maritime trade. Technological innovation and integration with renewable energies will set the pace for its expansion in the coming decades.

To achieve the energy transition, it is important to invest in the technological development of hydrogen shipping , coupled with the implementation of government incentives and global agreements, which will drive the rapid integration of this clean energy source in the maritime sector. However, there are many barriers and challenges to overcome, with the greatest potential risk being the explosion hazard associated with hydrogen, which requires very strict safety procedures for its storage and distribution on board ships, especially now that there has already been an accident involving one of the prototypes.

References

1. Exponava ; https://exponav.org/blog/puertos-y-buques/el-hidrogeno-en-el-ambito-maritimo-posibilidades-del-buque-de-hidrogeno/
2. Mundo Maritimo; https://mundomaritimo.cl/noticias/oportunidades-y-desafios-del-hidrogeno-como-combustible-para-el-transporte-maritimo
3. Lam, J. S. L., & Notteboom, T. (2014). The greening of ports: A comparison of ports management tools used by leading ports in Asia and Europe. Transport Reviews, Vol. 34(2), pp. 169-189. doi:DOI: 10.1080/01441647.2014.891162.
4. Di Vaio, Varriale, & Alvino; “Key performance indicators for developing environmentally sustainable and energy efficient ports: Evidence from Italy”; Energy Policy 122(November):229-240
5. https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-gb/knowledge/publications/6f98bf8f/fueleu-maritime.

FAQs: Questions to be answered about hydrogen shipping