Green Marine UK’s hydrogen CTV receives ‘approval in principle’
Green Marine UK’s maritime initiative to retrofit CTVs (crew transfer vessels) with hydrogen, fuel cells, and batteries to cut emissions while servicing offshore wind farms has been granted Approval in Principle (AiP) by the global classification society RINA.
Phase 1 of Project Verdant, involving a preliminary design and feasibility study, has now been completed and deemed viable. This opens the door to subsequent project phases seeking to execute design, engineering, and sea trials.
Project Verdant aims to retrofit a CTV with hydrogen fuel cells to cut CO2 and NOx emissions while servicing offshore wind farms. Led by Green Marine UK, the Innovate UK-funded project includes maritime consultancy Waves Group and EMEC (European Marine Energy Centre).
Project Verdant’s conceptual design incorporates hydrogen fuel cells connected to electric motors. These work in conjunction with existing diesel-fueled engines, which can be shut down to enable zero-emission operation at slow speeds while servicing offshore wind farms.
Energys helped design and provided engineering and modeling for the vessel retrofit. Meanwhile, Engineered Marine Systems (EMS) supplied a design for the battery room, drawing from its experience with multiple hybrid CTVs.
Findings show the hybrid system could reduce the vessel’s CO2 emissions by up to 30% and NOx emissions by up to 40% – with CTVs commonly operating in loiter mode for long periods at a time.
Green Marine UK’s Managing Director Jason Schofield said obtaining AiP was a key objective for Project Verdant, providing confidence in the CTVs’ ability to operate safely in UK waters in accordance with the MCA (Maritime & Coastguard Agency) regulations MGN 664 and RINA Rules Pt C, Ch 1, App 14, Appendix 14 Hydrogen Fuelled Ships.
The ultimate mission is to capture sufficient learning from the operation of a retro-fitted vessel to enable Green Marine UK to expand its fleet with new-build zero emissions CTVs and SOVs (service operation vessels).