Statkraft and Skagerak Energi have been chosen as suppliers of green hydrogen for the zero-emission cargo vessel HeidelbergCement and Felleskjøpet are planning.
The concept that emerged involves the replacement of containers with compressed hydrogen and is flexible so that it can be used both for transport and for other purposes.
Through the Green Shipping Program, HeidelbergCement and Felleskjøpet tendered to supply green hydrogen to a zero-emission bulk carrier.
The ship will transport grain from Eastern Norway to Western Norway and rock/gravel on the way back, and will sail using emission-free green hydrogen in combination with rotor sails.
Earlier this spring, the parties chose Egil Ulvan Rederi AS as the shipping company, and now Statkraft and Skagerak Energi are awarded the hydrogen delivery in competition with more than ten providers.
Statkraft executive vice president Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal said: “Statkraft is Europe’s largest producer of renewable energy, and the production of renewable hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuel is in line with our strategic ambitions.
“This award is an important milestone in our work to establish Statkraft as a leading hydrogen producer in Norway and Sweden and fits in well with the range of other initiatives we have for hydrogen for sea and land transport.”
In a joint statement Felleskjøpet chief executive Svenn Ivar Fure and HeidelbergCement Northern Europe director of logistics Knut Omreng said: “In the work of developing the world’s first emission-free bulk carriers, we are pleased to have solid partners in Statkraft and Skagerak Energi as energy suppliers.
“Statkraft and Skagerak Energi are companies that we are confident in, and that have great confidence in the energy market.
“Their concept of hydrogen production in both Western and Eastern Norway gives us a great operational advantage when the boat is in traffic, and increases the transfer value in the use of hydrogen to other ships and segments.
“Project ‘Greenbulk’ is groundbreaking for the energy industry and we look forward to working with them in the future.”
The Norwegian government has recently presented its roadmap for hydrogen.
It outlines concrete ambitions to establish five hydrogen hubs within maritime transport with the possibility of connecting solutions also for land transport.
Establishment of hydrogen production for this freight route in the Oslofjord area can form the basis for such a hub.
Statkraft and Skagerak Energi will now continue to work together with the Green Shipping Program / DNV, HeidelbergCement, Felleskjøpet and the shipping company Ulvan / Norwegian Ship Design to detail the concept and choose the location of the facility.
The plan is for the project to be ready for an investment decision in the summer of 2022 in order to start deliveries in the autumn of 2023.