Green Marine UK’s hydrogen CTV granted AiP by RINA

Phase 1 of Project Verdant, involving a preliminary design and feasibility study, has now been completed and deemed viable, opening the door to subsequent project phases seeking to execute design, engineering and sea trials.

Led by Green Marine UK, the Innovate UK funded project includes maritime consultancy Waves Group and European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC).

Project Verdant’s conceptual design incorporates hydrogen fuel cells connected to electric motors, working in conjunction with existing diesel-fuelled engines, which can be shut down to enable zero emission operation at slow speed while servicing offshore wind farms.

Global leader in hydrogen systems and marine fuel cell generators, Energys, helped design and provide engineering and modelling. Meanwhile, Engineered Marine Systems (EMS) supplied a design for the battery room, drawn from its extensive experience involving multiple hybrid CTVs.

Findings show that the hybrid system could reduce the vessel’s CO₂ emissions by up to 30% and NO_x 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 that 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 service operation vessels (SOVs).

“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,” Schofield said. “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 de-risking the implementation and testing of hydrogen fuel-cell vessels in the coastal environment. Once the concept has been proven up, there is potential to rapidly replicate. This would enable economies of scale to be leveraged and remove barriers to adoption.”

RINA UK Wind & 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, emphasised how 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. This initiative demonstrates that a new standard for environmental responsibility in offshore services is achievable from both a technical and commercial perspective.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalhydrogenreview.com/hydrogen/29072024/green-marine-uks-hydrogen-ctv-granted-aip-by-rina/