Yanmar's Maritime Hydrogen Fuel Cell System Gains DNV Type Approval
Key Takeaways
- •DNV granted type approval to Yanmar's GH-FC series of maritime hydrogen fuel cell systems, confirming compliance with its maritime rules and guidelines.
- •The certification is expected to reduce the certification burden for shipbuilders, system integrators, and vessel operators using the technology in future projects.
- •Yanmar has developed hydrogen fuel cell technology since 2015, commercialised its maritime systems in 2023, and deployed them in Japan with shipowners, operators, and local governments.
- •Yanmar sees the DNV approval, which is typically recognised across major flag states, as a step toward expanding the GH-FC series from Japan into international markets.
- •Industry interest in hydrogen fuel cells is driven partly by the IMO's strategy for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by around 2050.
Yanmar Power Solutions' maritime hydrogen fuel cell system has received type approval from DNV, the Norwegian classification society, the company announced in a press release on Friday.
The approval covers Yanmar's GH-FC series of fuel cell systems and confirms compliance with DNV's rules and guidelines for maritime applications. DNV type approval is a certification process under which a product is verified to meet the technical standards of the classification society, a prerequisite for widespread adoption of maritime equipment across shipyards and flag states.
Yanmar said the certification will help shipbuilders, system integrators and vessel operators reduce the certification burden for future projects involving the technology.
The certification supports the deployment of hydrogen fuel cell technology for maritime applications. Fuel cells convert hydrogen into electricity through an electrochemical process, producing no carbon emissions at the point of use, and are viewed by the shipping industry as one of several pathways toward reducing vessel emissions. That interest is driven in part by the International Maritime Organization's strategy to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by around 2050, which has pushed shipowners and equipment makers to explore alternative fuels and propulsion technologies. Hydrogen fuel cells are seen as a candidate particularly for shorter routes and smaller vessels, where onboard storage of hydrogen's low volumetric energy density and limited refuelling infrastructure pose fewer constraints than on long ocean crossings.
Yanmar has been developing hydrogen fuel cell technology since 2015 and commercialised its maritime fuel cell systems in 2023. Since then, the company has deployed the technology in Japan through projects with shipowners, operators and local governments. Japan's government has supported hydrogen deployment, including in maritime transport, as part of its national hydrogen strategy, which has provided a domestic testing ground for the technology.
According to Yanmar, the DNV approval marks a step towards expanding the GH-FC series from domestic deployments in Japan into international markets. Classification approvals from societies such as DNV are typically recognised across major flag states, which is what makes the certification relevant beyond Japan's domestic market.
Source: Ship & Bunker
