Dutch shipbuilder, Royal IHC, has received an “approval in principle” classification from Bureau Veritas for its new design for a hydrogen-powered tailing suction hopper dredger.
Royal IHC has announced that it is set to build a hydrogen-powered trailing suction hopper dredger after it received approval-in-principle (AiP) for the new design from Bureau Veritas.
The AiP means that the proposed design of the vessel has been deemed acceptable and that the hydrogen power plant has been safely integrated. The design process began in 2019 and Royal IHC projects to have the vessel in service in 2024.
The Dutch Rijkswaterstaat wants Dutch shipping to be CO2 neutral by 2030 and it is hoped that the hydrogen vessel will provide a cost-effective carbon-neutral solution for coastal protection projects.
The new vessel will only emit water vapour and will have a low-emission LEAF hopper with an electric drive-train and energy recovery systems.