Dutch fuel cell system developer Zepp.solutions has been selected to supply hydrogen fuel cell systems for the NERA-H2 project, an initiative aimed at retrofitting river cruise ships with zero-emission propulsion systems.
The project seeks to address increasingly stringent emissions regulations in European cities such as Amsterdam, Basel, and Vienna, where river cruise operators face mounting sustainability challenges. Zepp.solutions estimates that more than 420 river cruise vessels in Europe will need to comply with these regulations, making hydrogen-based retrofitting a viable pathway toward decarbonization.
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Zepp.solutions will supply its X150 fuel cell modules, capable of delivering over 1 MW of power output. The company notes that this system has already been successfully deployed in heavy-duty applications, including hydrogen-powered trucks.
Funding for the NERA-H2 project will primarily come from the Dutch Maritime Master Plan, which aims to deploy at least 40 zero-emission vessels by 2030. The initiative is expected to share technical insights to facilitate broader industry adoption of hydrogen propulsion.
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NERA Company B.V. leads the project with a consortium of partners, including research institutions MARIN and TNO for technical validation, as well as Arnhem and Nijmegen University of Applied Sciences, which will focus on energy storage and digitalization. Shipowners and industry stakeholders will help assess the feasibility of integrating hydrogen propulsion into real-world maritime operations.
“We are proud to contribute our fuel cell expertise to this ambitious project,” said Jonas Brendelberger, co-founder of Zepp.solutions. “The maritime sector’s decarbonization efforts must focus not only on newbuild vessels but also on upgrading existing fleets. NERA-H2 presents a well-structured approach, and we look forward to the collaboration.”
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