“Apollo and ShipFC complement each other in a fantastic way. It’s crucial to explore multiple technologies concurrently, as future vessels will likely incorporate a combination of systems, including internal combustion engines, solid oxide fuel cells, and batteries,” says Tore Boge, ShipFC’s Project Coordinator.

“While ShipFC is progressing more slowly than anticipated, we’re pleased that our work is laying a solid foundation for other ammonia-powered initiatives, enabling significant emissions reductions for the offshore fleet,” Boge adds.

Key Milestones

The ShipFC consortium has reached several significant milestones that will benefit Apollo and other ammonia projects. In June 2024, the Norwegian Maritime Authority granted approval for ShipFC’s preliminary design for ammonia operations on Viking Energy.

“This approval demonstrates that ammonia can be safely used as a fuel under current regulations. It’s a crucial step for all vessels planning to adopt ammonia as a fuel, clearing the path for other ongoing initiatives,” Boge notes.

Additionally, Alma Clean Power has received Approval in Principle for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) system for maritime use. They are currently testing a 100 kW fuel cell module powered by ammonia at Sustainable Energy’s test center in Stord, Norway. Publicly available data suggests this is the largest ammonia-powered fuel cell tested to date.

Scaling Up the Technology

The journey towards installing a 2 MW ammonia-powered fuel cell aboard Viking Energy has encountered more challenges than expected, largely due to the immature value chains for solid oxide fuel cells at this scale. The project has also navigated a challenging period marked by the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, rising costs, and extended delivery times.

“ShipFC is a highly ambitious technology development project. The partners believe strongly in this technology and are actively working to scaling it up to the megawatt level required for this groundbreaking endeavor,” Boge confirms.