Swedish MR Tanker hydrogen ship first to receive RINA approval

The approval in principle (AiP) was issued to a design created by FKAB Marine Design. RINA, a multinational marine classification company with a focus on green approaches has announced the first approval in principle (AiP) for a hydrogen ship design in the form of the MR Tanker. The design utilizes currently available and viable tech and clean fuels that achieve IMO 2050 targets. The MR Tanker hydrogen ship was a class society concept designed by FKAB. It features a combination propulsion system that brings together the vessel’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel with steam for the production o…

The approval in principle (AiP) was issued to a design created by FKAB Marine Design.

RINA, a multinational marine classification company with a focus on green approaches has announced the first approval in principle (AiP) for a hydrogen ship design in the form of the MR Tanker.

The design utilizes currently available and viable tech and clean fuels that achieve IMO 2050 targets.

The MR Tanker hydrogen ship was a class society concept designed by FKAB. It features a combination propulsion system that brings together the vessel’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel with steam for the production of H2 and CO2. The MR LNG/hydrogen-fueled vessel design came together through the contributions of ABB and Metacon AB subsidiary ABB, in a joint project. “To meet CO2 reduction targets, shipping is faced with the challenge of having solutions which either rely on fossil fuels, but which still require technology to mature, or on new, zero carbon fuels, the availability of which is still far from being guaranteed. This new design enables the use of hydrogen as a fuel today without the need for bunkering and storage on board and exceeds IMO 2050 targets for 70% reduction of carbon intensity.,” said RINA’s Greece Marine Technical Director Antonios Trakakis.

The MR Tanker hydrogen ship design combines LNG with steam within a gas reformer.

The design works through a combination of LNG with steam within Helbio’s gas reformer unit in order to split the LNG’s molecules into H2 and CO2. From there, the H2 produced can become a direct fuel for the vessel, which uses it in internal combustion engines as well as fuel cells in ABB’s hybrid marine power system. The CO2 produced in this process is captured instead of releasing them as emissions. Green solutions such as this one, which reduce the CO2 emissions from the shipping industry can contribute to a competitive Carbon Intensity Index (CII) rating. Globally, CII thresholds are becoming increasingly restrictive as 2030 approaches. This reduction through a vessel’s entire service life and not only as 2050 targets approach. As a result, conventional tankers may struggle to meet those regulations. Therefore, an approach to retrofit using this new hydrogen ship technology could provide a promising option.