BMT and PA Consulting have explored the feasibility of retrofitting medium-sized Ro-Pax ferries with hydrogen propulsion and storage expertise.
The ensuing white paper assesses the financial and technical feasibility of retrofitting present vessels with hydrogen propulsion techniques, presenting three retrofit alternate options with various complexity, hydrogen demand and prices. These choices contain dual-fuel engines with compressed gaseous hydrogen storage, hydrogen gas cells with liquefied hydrogen storage and inside combustion engines working on 100% hydrogen with liquefied hydrogen storage.
The white paper, ‘Feasibility of retrofitting medium-sized Ro-Pax ferries to utilise hydrogen propulsion and storage expertise,’ employs an 85-meter Ro-Pax catamaran as a case research, analyzing the vessel’s traits, operational profile, and potential for retrofitting. The vessel’s dimension, velocity and operational frequency make it a super candidate for transitioning to hydrogen propulsion. The research considers three retrofit choices, incorporating technoeconomic modelling to evaluate prices and advantages.
The research supplies a complete evaluation of hydrogen manufacturing pathways, specializing in inexperienced and blue hydrogen. It explores numerous hydrogen propulsion choices, evaluating gas cells and inside combustion engines. Onboard hydrogen storage choices, together with compressed and liquefied hydrogen, are analyzed, contemplating elements corresponding to house, security, and retrofit challenges.
A essential issue within the research is the provision of hydrogen for refueling throughout the vessel’s operational profile. The evaluation considers eventualities the place hydrogen is produced each regionally and offsite, assessing the influence of transportation on complete value of possession. The research underscores the significance of minimizing hydrogen transportation distances for financial viability.
The research evaluates the levelized value of hydrogen for various manufacturing strategies, evaluating blue and inexperienced hydrogen, and assesses this in opposition to the gas value for MGO. The extra influence of subsidies on the price of hydrogen gas can also be assessed. This is mixed with an evaluation of the capital value of conversion and different OPEX to evaluate the full value of possession over the vessel lifetime.
The white paper concludes that hydrogen gas cells provide an economical propulsion answer for the studied vessel on a total-cost-of-ownership foundation over its lifetime when in comparison with continued use of MGO. The evaluation additionally exhibits that whereas prices for low-carbon fuels are at present larger than fossil alternate options, elements corresponding to expertise development and carbon pricing are anticipated to drive down this value differential within the coming years. The research emphasizes the necessity for subsidies, strategic co-location of hydrogen property, and ongoing developments in hydrogen expertise for long-term viability.
The research acknowledges the challenges of integrating hydrogen expertise into present ships however underscores the potential advantages for decarbonization. The white paper additionally incorporates detailed modelling of the price of hydrogen manufacturing over a typical vessel lifetime. The mannequin considers techno-economics, hydrogen manufacturing pathways and authorities insurance policies, tailoring the evaluation to the vessel’s operational necessities.
Ro-Pax ferries contribute 37 million tonnes of CO2 yearly.
