DNV study highlights hydrogen safety

Commissioned by the European Maritime Safety Agency, the ‘Safety of hydrogen for use in ships’ study resulted in both a final report and a non-mandatory guidance document aimed at supporting regulators, shipowners and designers as the industry explores hydrogen as a potential low-carbon marine fuel.

Hydrogen is increasingly viewed as a possible long-term option for reducing shipping emissions, but its adoption remains at an early stage, with regulations and commercial applications still developing. The report highlights that hydrogen presents different hazards compared with other alternative fuels such as liquefied natural gas.

Even relatively small leaks can quickly form ignitable gas clouds, the study notes, and hydrogen’s low ignition energy means these clouds can ignite more easily than other fuels. Combined with the technical challenges of detecting hydrogen leaks, these characteristics create heightened explosion risks if systems are not carefully designed.

To mitigate these risks, the study recommends that hydrogen-fuelled vessels incorporate robust technical safety barriers. These include secondary enclosures across all hydrogen-carrying components as well as automated protection systems designed to manage potential releases.

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“Hydrogen has a viable path as ship fuel but carries safety risks,” said Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, interim chief executive for maritime at DNV.

“As new fuel technologies develop, robust safety principles must be built in from the outset. That requires new thinking, early-stage integration and close collaboration across the value chain, while keeping seafarer safety firmly at the centre.”

The report also highlights human factors as a critical element of safe hydrogen operations. Because hydrogen’s flammability and cryogenic storage temperatures introduce new occupational hazards, crew training and operational procedures will play an important role in risk management.

“The study concludes that safety for hydrogen-fuelled ships must be based on technical safety barriers,” said Linda Hammer, principal consultant at DNV and lead author of the study.

“Robust containment, secondary enclosures and automated protection systems must form the first line of defence, particularly given how quickly hydrogen incidents can escalate.”