Partners to develop, build and operate hydrogen-powered bulkers in Europe

Project & Tenders

Shipping company Maris Fiducia Norway has entered into cooperation agreements with maritime technology company HAV Hydrogen and hydrogen producer and distributor Norwegian Hydrogen to develop, build and operate hydrogen-powered dry-bulk vessels in Europe.

Maris Fiducia

The vessels will be designed by the Dutch ship designer Ankerbeer. Upon successful realization of the project, the dry bulk ships will go on hire through a zero-emission time charter agreement with Schulte & Bruns, establishing a commercial operation for vessels operating on hydrogen fuel.

The ships shall be classed by classification society DNV and registered in the NIS register.

“Maris Fiducia is dedicated to shaping the future of maritime transportation towards environmental sustainability and our chartering partners Schulte & Bruns share this vision. Using hydrogen as fuel is a natural step in this development and the versatility of HAV Hydrogen’s ZEPOD, coupled with Norwegian Hydrogen’s hydrogen infrastructure, represent what is required to realise such ambitions,” said Markku Vedder, CEO of the Maris Fiducia Group.  

Maris Fiducia operates a fleet of over twenty dry cargo and tanker vessels, and its Norwegian subsidiary Maris Fiducia Norway AS shall operate the hydrogen-powered vessels.

The group’s primary focus is environmentally friendly maritime transportation logistics.

Meanwhile, HAV Hydrogen will bring its knowledge of the development of complete and scalable hydrogen-based energy systems to the partnership. The company has developed and obtained Approval in Principle from DNV for its Zero Emission Pod – ZEPOD, a deckhouse containing a complete hydrogen energy system for ships.

In February this year, the company received NOK 12.4 million (around $1.18 million) in funding from Innovation Norway to build, test, and certify a full-scale prototype of a containerized hydrogen (H2) energy system for ZEPOD.

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According to the company, installed power from a ZEPOD can be used for main propulsion systems or for auxiliary power onboard a vessel. Subject to potential innovation funding, Maris Fiducia’s chosen shipyard will order ZEPODs from HAV Hydrogen for use on board the vessels.

“As a specialist supplier and integrator of maritime fuel cell solutions, there is obviously a limit to how much we can influence the maritime industry on our own. By collaborating with a shipowner and a producer of green hydrogen, we enable a value chain approach that can tear down further barriers towards realisation of hydrogen as maritime fuel,” stated Kristian Osnes, managing director of HAV Hydrogen, which is part of HAV Group ASA.

Norwegian Hydrogen is building an array of hydrogen production sites throughout the Nordics and will operate a comprehensive distribution network for green hydrogen. This capability shall provide security of supply for Maris Fiducia and Schulte & Bruns.

“The cooperation with Maris Fiducia and their founder Markku Vedder, proves there are shipowners with the vision and capability to develop zero-emission shipping solutions. We look forward to the journey onwards together with Maris Fiducia, establishing corridors for sustainable shipping throughout Europe,” Jens Berge, CEO of Norwegian Hydrogen commented.