Shipyard enters luxury cruise market with fuel cell design

摘要

German shipyard Abeking & Rasmussen (A&R) has entered the cruise ship sector with innovative designs including one that will use fuel cells. The shipyard is designing a 'green cruise' concept using fuel cells with the aim to be as emissions-free as possible. The 100-passenger capacity cruise ship is being designed at the request of a customer - but it is keen to use the concept for other cruise operators too. Abeking & Rasmussen (A&R) naval architect and sales director, special vessels, Nils Olschner explains that the fuel cells will provide power for the hotel load and generate power to drive the ship up to a speed of 12 knots. If the ship needs to travel faster, pure methanol engines will also be used. Mr Olschner says "Fuel cells need hydrogen and hydrogen is difficult to store, so we decided to go for fuel cells fed by hydrogen stored in Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC). This means that each fuel cell has a reformer, and we set up the LOHC to each reformer, which will release hydrogen out of the LOHC and provide this for the fuel cells." Mr Olschner adds that the cruise ship design has a "private yacht feeling on board" and is designed for passengers that have a "high demand for luxury and comfort and at the same time wouldn't feel comfortable spoiling the environment". Mr Olschner said "as soon as the customer is ready", the shipyard will build the vessel.