AceOn Group lead hydrogen vessel trial in the North Sea

This £4.6 million Retrofittable Propulsion System for Electric Vessels with Hydrogen Range Extender (RESTORE) project marks a key moment for maritime decarbonisation.

Funded by the UK Department for Transport and delivered through Innovate UK’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC3), RESTORE transformed the Princess Royal into a research platform capable of servicing offshore wind turbines with zero emissions.

The project brought together a consortium, including AceOn Group, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Engas Global, Newcastle University, Liverpool John Moores University, University of Liverpool, Taurus Engineering, and CAGE Technologies.

The project culminated in April 2025 with a landmark demonstration in the North Sea and River Tyne, UK.

The Princess Royal – based near Blyth, just miles from EDF Renewables’ offshore wind farm – showcased strong operational range using battery-electric propulsion supported by a hydrogen generator, underscoring the potential for zero-emission marine operations.

This project was part of the CMDC3 and delivered by Innovate UK. CMDC3 is part of the Department’s UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme, a £206 million initiative focused on developing the technology necessary to decarbonise the UK domestic maritime sector.

Read the article online at: https://www.globalhydrogenreview.com/hydrogen/30052025/aceon-group-led-consortium-trial-hydrogen-vessel-in-the-north-sea/