ABB and HDF Energy set course for commercial marine hydrogen fuel cells by 2030

The technology is expected to be applicable not only to smaller ships but also to large seagoing vessels, including container feeder ships and liquefied hydrogen carriers. The agreement builds on a memorandum of understanding signed by the two companies in 2020, which set out the framework for their collaboration.

The partners anticipate pilot installations in the 2028–2029 timeframe, with serial production planned from 2030. The agreement is seen as a significant step towards establishing fuel cells as a commercially viable technology to support the decarbonisation of the maritime sector.

The collaboration brings together ABB’s expertise in system integration with HDF Energy’s capabilities in the design and production of large fuel cell units. HDF Energy, headquartered in France, will supply the fuel cell technology, while ABB will provide power converters, power management systems, and electrical and control integration. The two companies will also work jointly on specifications, conceptual design and the identification of commercial opportunities.

The high-power fuel cell unit is intended to support emissions reduction by enabling the development of large hydrogen-electric vessels and by allowing conventional diesel auxiliary gensets to be replaced with hydrogen fuel cell units on board existing ships. When operated using carbon-neutral fuels such as green hydrogen, the technology offers the potential for substantial decarbonisation benefits.

ABB’s Onboard DC Grid power system will allow the fuel cell unit to be integrated with other power sources and subsystems, including battery energy storage. In hybrid configurations, the fuel cells are expected to increase operational range and flexibility. The unit may also support wider marine electrification by acting as an auxiliary power source for shore power and charging infrastructure in ports, helping to meet peak power demand where grid capacity is constrained.

Hanane El Hamraoui, chief executive of HDF Energy, said the company was “very excited to combine our fuel cell knowledge with ABB’s marine systems integration expertise to provide a practical means of decarbonising the maritime industry”.

Rune Braastad, president of ABB’s Marine & Ports division, said ABB and HDF Energy had been collaborating for several years and had made “significant progress towards a viable solution for decarbonising larger vessels”. He added that the new agreement reflected ABB’s continued commitment to technologies that accelerate maritime decarbonisation.