Fuel cell supply vessels in Norway by 2012
Ships using fuel cells should be operational in Norway by 2012, according to Jan Fredrik Meling, managing director of Eidesvik Offshore. Eidesvik has invested in three LNG driven, Avant type supply vessels, of which the first was delivered in the autumn of 2003. The fuel cells will also be fed by LNG, but the NOx emissions from this vessel is nil and CO2 emissions is cut by 50 per cent. Eidesvik Offshore is currently developing a fuel cell supply vessel, and Meling believes that the Norwegian government should use the majority of the proceeds from the new NOx tax for investment in environmentally friendly vessels, not only to line the state coffers.
