Norwegian company Teco 2030, Blom Maritime and Samskip, are to receive an Enova grant for a pre-project aiming to retrofit Samskip’s vessel ‘Kvitnos’ with Teco 2030 fuel cells using hydrogen as fuel.
This innovative project aims to significantly reduce emissions from this LNG-fuelled vessel, which currently operates on a weekly multipurpose service from Rotterdam along most of the Norwegian coastline to Hammerfest. By switching to zero-emission hydrogen technology, the partners join in their goal of reducing GHG emissions. The goal of the project is to prepare for an investment decision to retrofit Kvitnos. The project also aims to facilitate long-term hydrogen fuel supply contracts due to the vessel’s fixed route.
Blom Maritime will support naval architects, piping engineers and structural engineers to produce the documentation needed to obtain preliminary approval of the fuel cell and hydrogen solution. Blom Maritime’s main expertise is in engineering for retrofitting solutions.
Samskip is a multimodal logistics company, offering transport services by land, sea, rail and air. The group currently has offices in 24 countries and a network covering 35 countries. Samskip has one hydrogen powered container vessel under construction in the SeaShuttle project. This new retrofit project with Kvitnos could become Samskip’s second hydrogen project. Samskip is committed to seize every opportunity to become Net-Zero by 2040. This project represents an opportunity to greatly reduce, or even eliminate, all emissions from one of its existing vessels.
Samskip Regional Director Norway and Sweden, Are Grathen said: “With the delivery of our LNG propelled multipurpose vessels back in 2015, Samskip already offered one of the world’s most environmentally friendly cargo ships, which eliminated SOx emissions while drastically reducing NOx and CO2 emissions. With this grant from Enova, and in close cooperation with fuel cell provider TECO 2030, we will continue our endeavour to enable full zero emission propulsion which in turn will further pave the way for our H2-propelled new-builds coming out next year and bring us closer to our net-zero targets for 2040.”
Samskip Head of Fleet Management Erik Hofmeester added: “Samskip embraces every opportunity to reduce CO2 emissions either through using biofuels, CO2 capture-systems, shore-power, innovative newbuilding vessels , and now also into retro-fits solutions. Using the power take in device (PTI) driving the propellor with green energy, allowing our existing vessels to sail and manoeuvre emission-free in the Norwegian Fjords and other coastal areas.”
Tore Enger, Group CEO, Teco 2030 said: “This grant shows our capability to help our clients secure public funding for smaller pre-studies, this means they can focus on progress towards their ultimate goals of zero emission shipping. Our fuel cell technology is a great match for retrofitting the existing fleet to operate with environment friendly propulsion along the coast.”
Image: Samskip’s ‘Kvitnos’ could be fitted with Teco 2030 fuel cells (source: Teco 2030)
