TECO 2030 and Umoe Mandal have delivered the documentation package to the Norwegian Maritime Authority for an Approval in Principle application of what is reputedly the world’s first fuel cell high-speed vessel design.
The design is for a first-of-its-kind, zero-emission high-speed passenger vessel sailing along the coast without emitting anything but warm air and water. The vessel is to be installed with a multimegawatt fuel cell system for full propulsion. The ship will be constructed based on Umoe Mandal’s proven crew transfer vessel (CTV) surface effect ship (SES) technology, and with the air-cushion catamaran design will offer low imprint on the surrounding environment, even in challenging and vulnerable ocean conditions. The passenger vessel will have a service speed of 35kts, a range of a minimum of 160 nautical miles and the capacity to carry 275 passengers.
Once approval has been received for the vessel design and hydrogen propulsion plant, TECO 2030 and Umoe Mandal, together with suppliers, will continue the process of reaching final approval.
“It is a major accomplishment for us to announce our developed partnership with Umoe Mandal and submit all documentation to the Norwegian Maritime Authority for an Approval in Principle on a ship designed for the future of zero-emission maritime transportation. I am excited to continue to build on this design platform as we move forward together with our strong partner Umoe Mandal,” said Tore Enger, founder of TECO Group. “This achievement demonstrates the industry’s readiness to embrace commercial and public tenders for passenger vessels powered by hydrogen, thereby contributing to efforts to reduce and eliminate pollution in the maritime industry.”
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