Lithuania launches first hydrogen-powered ship
The €12m hydrogen-electric tanker is being built by West Baltic Shipyard and Baltic Workboats.
Lithuania’s first hydrogen-powered ship has taken to the water at Klaipėda Port with the launching of the port’s new ship waste collection tanker from its shipyard.
The €12m (£10.1m) ship, commissioned by the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority (KSSA), will now be fitted with its engine room equipment, wheelhouse interior, electrical wiring, and hydrogen system ahead of its entry into operation.
Algis Latakas, Director General of KSSA, described the new ship as representing a “cleaner, smarter and more environmentally friendly” approach to port operations.
He said: “This first ever hydrogen and electricity-powered ship is not only an innovative technological solution, but also an important step in strengthening Lithuania’s image as a modern maritime nation.
“At the moment, the tanker is getting used to the seaport water, so to speak, and at the end of the year we expect it to start its important mission of taking care of the clean seaport environment.”
Construction on the ship began in June 2024 and is part of the port authority’s efforts to use sustainable equipment to comply with its obligations to collect waste from vessels arriving at and departing the port.
The 42m long tanker will be fitted with a hydrogen fuel cell system connected to two electric motors, with a 2,000 kWh battery also providing power as part of the hybrid system.
Klaipėda’s move to hydrogen is part of a growing interest in the fuel as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel marine fuels, with a number of companies building smaller ships with hydrogen systems as the technology continues to develop.
“We are proud that the portfolio of green ships being designed and built in Klaipėda has been expanded with a unique Lithuanian project.” Arnoldas Šileika, CEO of the VLG Group, said.
“It is a testimony to the successful development of a green shipping ecosystem, with close cooperation between our port and the maritime engineering industry, which has the necessary competences and technological capabilities.”
