Hydrogen-powered CTV secures approval in principle from RINA

Green Marine UK managing director Jason Schofield said obtaining AiP was a key objective for Project Verdant, providing confidence in CTV’s ability to operate safely in UK waters in accordance with the Maritime & Coastguard Agency regulations MGN 664 and RINA Rules Pt C, Ch 1, App 14, Appendix 14 Hydrogen Fuelled Ships. The ultimate aim of the project is to capture sufficient learning from the operation of a retrofitted vessel to enable Green Marine UK to expand its fleet with newbuild zero-emissions CTVs and service operation vessels.

“Following the review of a comprehensive package of design documentation and drawings, Project Verdant’s technical solution has been officially approved in principle by RINA,” said Mr Schofield. “With technical feedback supplied by RINA, we now have all the necessary input to progress to the detailed design and implementation phase. 

“Retrofitting CTVs in the manner prescribed by Project Verdant provides a means of significantly derisking the implementation and testing of hydrogen fuel-cell vessels in the coastal environment. Once the concept has been proven, there is potential to rapidly replicate. This would enable economies of scale to be leveraged and remove barriers to adoption.”

RINA UK wind and marine offshore business development director David Lynch said the AiP of the hydrogen-fuelled CTV is a milestone in the wind industry assuring a greener service maintenance. RINA North Europe special projects manager Patrizio Di Francesco said the AiP framework performs an important function, ensuring robust analysis of innovative and novel concepts which are not currently covered by traditional classification rules, providing a level of safety in line with current marine industry practice and applicable regulations.

Waves Group engineering director Jeremy Panes said the system is designed to enhance vessel redundancy and flexibility by utilising locations where hydrogen is, or will be, readily available. “This approach creates a test bed to advance maritime decarbonisation in a challenging sector without significantly impacting the vessel’s operational profile,” he explained. 

Project Verdant has also benefited from economic modelling and insights on hydrogen refuelling, logistics and safety from EMEC. An early mover in hydrogen, EMEC operate a hydrogen R&D ecosystem in Orkney, demonstrating assets across the full value chain from production and storage to transport and end use. EMEC’s R&D activity has explored the application of hydrogen in the aviation and maritime space as well as synthetic fuel production.

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