Bloom Energy and SHI to build ships powered by fuel cells

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Bloom Energy and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), announced a collaboration to design and develop ships powered by Bloom Energy’s solid oxide fuel cell technology.

If successful, the partnership could deliver the first large cargo ship for ocean operation powered by fuel cells running on natural gas and could help SHI exceed the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) 50 percent emissions reduction targets set for 2050.

The two companies have already taken an important first step towards commercializing the maritime use of fuel cells for propulsion and auxiliary power by receiving the Approval in Principle from DNV GL to proceed with a fuel cell-powered ship design for Aframax crude oil tankers (COTs).

Kyunghee Kim, VP Outfitting Engineering Team, SHI said, "As regulations to reduce GHG emissions take effect step-by-step, the introduction of fuel cells to vessels is inevitable (…)."

Hwa Lyong Lee, VP Regional Business Development, Maritime, DNV GL added, "This innovative design is one of the ways to improve GHG emissions, to further make LNG a solid and long-term solution."