The Possibility of Using Hydrogen as a Green Alternative to Traditional Marine Fuels on an Offshore Vessel Serving Wind Farms

Achieving the required decarbonisation targets by the shipping industry requires a transition to technologies with zero or near-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. One promising shipping fuel with zero emission of exhaust gases (including CO2) is green hydrogen. This type of fuel, recognised as a 100% clean solution, is being investigated for feasible use on a service offshore vessel (SOV) working for offshore wind farms. This study aims to examine whether hydrogen may be used on an SOV in terms of the technical and economic challenges associated with the design process and other factors. In the analyses, a reference has been made to the current International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidelines and regulations. In this study, it was assumed that hydrogen would be directly combusted in a reciprocating internal combustion engine. This engine type was reviewed. In further research, hydrogen fuel cell propulsion systems will also be considered. The hydrogen demand was calculated for the assumed data of the SOV, and then the volume and number of high-pressure tanks were estimated. The analyses revealed that the SOV cannot undertake 14-day missions using hydrogen fuel stored in cylinders on board. These cylinders occupy 66% of the ship’s current volume, and their weight, including the modular system, accounts for 62% of its deadweight. The costs are over 100% higher compared to MDO and LNG fuels and 30% higher than methanol. The actual autonomy of the SOV with hydrogen fuel is 3 days.