The technology group Wärtsilä has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Global Energy Ventures (GEV) of Australia, a company specialised in delivering compressed shipping solutions for transporting energy to regional markets.

The two companies will cooperate on the inclusion of Wärtsilä propulsion systems in GEV’s compressed hydrogen (C-H2) ships. The MOU was signed in Sydney, Australia.

The cooperation aims at advancing GEV’s Approval in Principle (AiP) application for its new 430-ton C-H2 vessel. It is also intended to demonstrate the availability of a highly efficient, low-emissions propulsion system for the vessel.

“We look forward to working closely with Wärtsilä on this project. We have shown that C-H2 shipping is ideally suited for exporting green hydrogen with a lower delivered cost and having a technology leader such as Wärtsilä with us, we can deliver a shipping solution that is completely sustainable,” says Martin Carolan, CEO, GEV.

“This project is an important stepping stone along the journey towards a decarbonised maritime industry, something that Wärtsilä is fully committed to supporting.

“We are actively developing propulsion alternatives that can utilise future carbon-neutral fuels, raise efficiency levels, and which significantly improve environmental performance. This agreement with GEV is fully in line with our own ambitions,” says Petteri Saares, Sales Director, Wärtsilä Marine Power.

Compression delivers a proven, simple, and efficient method for transporting green hydrogen. It is a preferred solution for marine hydrogen transport but is often overlooked due to its lower volumetric energy density.

The parties to the agreement believe that the C-H2 project will eliminate the technical barriers and deliver a solution which is superior to other transport alternatives.