Multiple 200 kW fuel cell stacks! The world's first liquid hydrogen ferry! Ballard's first hydrogen-powered ships set sail

The year 2023 is rapidly making its mark on the history of marine technology

with the launch of several industry-first hydrogen-powered ships. This is a glorious moment in the development of the industry for many years. Various partners across the marine industry, including integrators, ship operators, fuel cell suppliers and infrastructure providers, have worked closely to launch zero-emission power solutions with new technologies in the context of the industry regulations of marine certification bodies that are not yet in place. Powered

by Ballard fuel cell modules, the first ships to make their maiden voyage include Norled's MF Hydra, the world's first liquid hydrogen-powered ferry , which will operate in Norway; & nbsp; & nbsp; The FPS Waal, a converted cargo ship, is expected to operate on the Rhine River in the Netherlands later this year. In the second half of 2023, the first inland cargo ship, Zulu06, will be launched and operated on the Seine River in Paris. Safety innovation

in the

marine sector Several years before MF Hydra was launched, Ballard was involved in the first marine projects and began testing fuel cells in marine applications. The accumulation of experience from different types of ship projects enables existing fuel cell products to be improved and tested in real marine environments.

Since 2016, Ballard has joined Elektra's research and development alliance and pioneered the development of Elektra, the world's first hydrogen-powered pusher barge. The development and testing of this project has provided a wealth of practice and insight into the use of Ballard's fuel cell technology in the marine environment, and has advanced Ballard's development of FCwave ™ fuel cell modules designed and manufactured specifically for the marine environment. The successful operation

of Elektra has continued. So far, the pusher has been tested in the waters around Berlin, mainly for transporting cargo. This year, the test will be extended to the long-distance route to Hamburg.

Car and passenger ferry project

In 2018, Norled AS won a tender for a zero-emission car and passenger ferry issued by the Norwegian Public Roads Authority, which specifically required the ship to use hydrogen and fuel cells. Norled embarked on this ground-breaking project in partnership with Ballard for the fuel cell, SEAM for the project integrator, LMG Marin for the ship design, Westcon Shipyard for the ship building and Linde for the hydrogen system, with the aim of delivering the industry's first commercial solution. Although the standards and rules of the Marine Classification Society are not yet in place. The project partners worked closely with the Norwegian Maritime Authority and Det Norske Veritas to facilitate the development of the technology to produce the first relevant regulations for hydrogen-powered propulsion in the industry.

MF Hydra is the world's first car-passenger ferry powered by liquid hydrogen and two Ballard 200kW FCwave ™ fuel cell modules. It became operational in March 2023 on the triangular route between Hjelmeland-Skipavik Nesvik, Norway.

Cargo Ship Project

In 2019, Ballard joined the EU-funded Cargo Ship Project with quality industry partners representing the entire marine industry value chain. Two ships will be deployed in 2023 within the framework of the cargo ship project. The cargo ship FPS Waal and the inland cargo carrier Zulu06 were both the first ships of their kind to be deployed.

FPS Waal, owned and operated by Future Proof Shipping (FPS), is a converted container ship. In order to achieve complete zero-emission sailing, the ship's internal combustion engine has been removed and a new zero-emission power propulsion system has been adopted, including six Ballard 200 kW FCwave ™ fuel cell modules, hydrogen storage devices, battery packs and electric transmission systems. This transition will provide valuable knowledge on how ships can change from internal combustion engines to zero-emission hydrogen-powered propulsion systems and how to promote their use on other ships. The 109.8-meter cargo ship will be launched in 2023 and will operate on the 240-kilometer Rhine route between Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and Duisburg, Germany.

Zulu06 is a newly built commercial cargo carrier owned and operated by Fluvial de transport (CFT). The Zulu06 will feature Ballard's two 200 kW FCwave ™ modules, making it the world's first commercial cargo carrier to use fuel cells and hydrogen. It will use compressed hydrogen produced by electrolysis, not only to achieve zero-emission operations, but also to lay a solid foundation for more local decarbonization transport at sea and on land. Zulu06 will operate on the route between Genneville and Bonn on the Seine in the third quarter of 2023. Lessons

learned from

marine projects Ballard has worked on several industry-first ship projects and developed a unique fuel cell module specifically for the marine sector, which has been a valuable process for Ballard. Ballard employs mature and proven fuel cell technology and refines the technology to meet the demanding requirements of the marine environment. In addition, as offshore operations require a higher level of safety than other industries, Ballard has been able to develop and adapt to different requirements to meet stringent market segment standards, while providing powerful fuel cell systems that can withstand the rigors of the marine environment. It is a unique challenge to provide the world's first fuel cell operating on a ship without an

existing industry standard or regulation. Through close cooperation with relevant third parties, the FCwave ™ module parameter settings are carefully considered during design and construction. Precise design work and extensive testing culminated in Ballard receiving the world's first DNV type certification for a fuel cell system.

Currently, Ballard is actively involved in a number of marine projects and has the experience, qualified team and in-house facilities dedicated to production to fully support future global projects. This also means that when owners and operators choose to use the Ballard system, there is no need for separate approval for each ship. The FC wave ™ type approval confirms that its design meets the stringent safety, functional, design and documentation requirements required for the global commercialization of ships.

The global shipping market is moving towards a zero-emission solution. Shipping is

known to contribute significantly to carbon emissions that contribute to climate change, and its impact is expected to increase as demand for shipping increases. Corresponding action will be inevitable, and most ship operators are adopting or planning to adopt zero-emission solutions to meet the upcoming emission reduction targets. The current legislation focuses more on large ships with a gross tonnage of more than 5,000 tons. However, the same legislation will also apply to other areas that industry players are working to address, such as ferries, inland freighters and short sea shipping. Looking at the global ship market of 90,000 ships, there are still about 8,000 ships with a gross tonnage of less than 5,000 tons that are suitable for hydrogen fuel cell integration applications.

This year's first commercial voyage proves that we need to build market confidence in hydrogen fuel cells and encourage more ship operators to deploy zero-emission solutions.

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