Norway’s duo to supply green hydrogen to zero-emission cargo ship

Norwegian hydropower company Statkraft and utility company Skagerak Energi have been chosen as suppliers of green hydrogen to the zero-emission ship planned by HeidelbergCement and Felleskjøpet.

The vessel in question is said to be the world’s first hydrogen-powered cargo ship.

HeidelbergCement and Felleskjøpet announced a tender to supply green hydrogen for a zero-emission bulkship through the Green Shipping Program.

The ship is to operate between Eastern Norway to Western Norway using emission-free green hydrogen in the combination with rotor sails.

Egil Ulvan Rederi AS has been chosen as the shipping company.

Statkraft and Skagerak Energi won the contract for delivery of green hydrogen amongst the competition of more than ten suppliers.

“This contract is an important milestone in our efforts to establish Statkraft as a leading hydrogen producer in Norway and Sweden and fits well with the series of other initiatives we have on hydrogen for sea and land transport,“ said Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal, executive vice president at Statkraft.

“In the process of creating the world’s first zero-emissions bulk ship, we’re happy to have signed with two solid partners in Statkraft and Skagerak Energi as energy suppliers….The Greenbulk project is without doubt ground-breaking for the energy sector and we look forward to collaborating with them,“ added Svenn Ivar Fure, CEO, Felleskjøpet Agri, and Knut Omreng, director of logistics, HeidelbergCement Northern Europe. 

The Norwegian hydrogen roadmap includes concrete ambitions to establish five hydrogen hubs within maritime transport that also accommodate for suppling land transport.

Statkraft and Skagerak Energi will work together with the Green Shipping Programme /DNV, HeidelbergCement, Felleskjøpet and the shipping company Ulvan/Norwegian Ship Design to detail the concept and choose the location of the facility.

The plan is to be ready for an investment decision by the summer of 2022 in order to start deliveries in late 2023.