Hydrogen-powered ships: The core engine of zero-carbon shipping

The carbon emissions of the global shipping industry account for about 3% of the global total, and under the "dual carbon" target and the net zero emissions framework of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), decarbonization transformation is urgently needed. Hydrogen powered ships use hydrogen as their energy source, which is converted into power through fuel cells or hydrogen internal combustion engines. The combustion product is only water, making it a recognized core solution for zero carbon shipping. As the most promising clean energy source in the 21st century, hydrogen energy has high energy density and wide sources. It can be used to produce green hydrogen through wind power and photovoltaic water electrolysis, achieving zero carbon emissions throughout its entire lifecycle and perfectly meeting the green transformation needs of the shipping industry.

The development of hydrogen powered ships in China has moved from laboratories to actual ship demonstrations. In 2023, the first domestic hydrogen fuel cell demonstration ship to be classified by China Classification Society, "Three Gorges Hydrogen Boat 1", made its maiden voyage in Yichang. It is equipped with a 500kW class hydrogen fuel cell stack, with a maximum speed of 28 kilometers per hour and a range of 200 kilometers. It has accumulated over 10000 kilometers of operation and can reduce carbon emissions by about 10300 tons throughout its entire life cycle. In 2026, the largest 2000 ton hydrogen fuel cell cargo ship in China will start construction in Guangdong, filling the technological gap of large tonnage hydrogen powered cargo ships. In addition, various types of ships such as ammonia hydrogen internal combustion engine extended range hybrid ships and hydrogen electric tugboats have been tested or put into operation, and the technical routes are becoming increasingly diverse.

The current development of hydrogen energy ships still faces three major bottlenecks: storage and transportation, cost, and safety. In terms of storage and transportation, high-pressure gaseous hydrogen storage technology is mature but has low energy density, while liquid hydrogen storage and transportation have high energy density but high liquefaction energy consumption and equipment investment. In terms of cost, the cost of green hydrogen is about 20-25 yuan/kg, with less than 10 hydrogen refueling stations in ports and lagging supporting infrastructure. In terms of safety, hydrogen is flammable and explosive, which imposes strict requirements on ship hydrogen storage tanks, refueling systems, and explosion-proof designs.

With technological breakthroughs and policy support, the commercialization process of hydrogen powered ships will accelerate comprehensively. The "Medium - and Long Term Plan for the Development of Hydrogen Energy Industry (2021-2035)" lists hydrogen powered ships as a key application area, and many regions have introduced subsidy policies. For example, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, provides a subsidy of 15000 yuan per kilowatt of fuel cell power for hydrogen powered ships. In the future, the cost of green hydrogen is expected to decrease to 10 yuan/kilogram, and hydrogen storage technology continues to iterate. Hydrogen powered ships will be the first to be popularized in inland and coastal passenger and short distance freight transportation, helping China's shipping industry achieve a "zero carbon" leap.