Norwegian state-owned Enova has awarded NOK 300 million in innovation funding to Maris Fiducia Norway AS, with HAV Hydrogen and Norwegian Hydrogen as subcontractors, to develop, build and operate five hydrogen-powered dry-bulk vessels.
The NOK 300 million grant is awarded under Enova’s “hydrogen in vessels”-programme, which aims to contribute to market change by supporting companies that will use hydrogen as fuel in vessels and support the development of zero emission vessel technologies.
Maris Fiducia Norway, which is the Norwegian operation of Dutch shipowner Maris Fiducia, will manage and operate the five vessels. When built the five dry-bulk carriers will go on hire through a zero-emission time charter agreement with Schulte & Bruns, establishing a commercial operation for vessels operating on hydrogen fuel, proving the feasibility of hydrogen technologies for shipping.
The 6,000 dwt vessels are designed by the Dutch ship designer Ankerbeer with a hull design optimised for efficiency and low fuel consumption. The power plant shall consist of a dual fuel hydrogen ICE combined with fuel cells for auxiliary power.
Enova is understood to have launched a new NOK 1.2 billion funding round, the company’s largest-ever round of funding for the shipping industry, aimed at building an effective ammonia and hydrogen value chain.
NOK 1.2 billion will be allocated to Norwegian ro-ro operators Hoegh Autoliners and Amon Maritime, who plan to build ammonia-powered vessels; and Maris Fiducia, Halten Bulk, Napier, and Møre Sjø, who plan to build hydrogen-powered vessels. The nine hydrogen-powered and six ammonia-powered vessels received funding.
Höegh Autoliners has secured NOK 109.4 million in funding, which it plans to use to carry out ammonia-powered conversions on four of the 12 9,100 CEU dual-fuel and zero-carbon-ready Aurora car carriers, and it is expected that Enova will cover 60% of the additional costs of the four car carriers from 2027 onwards.