Regulatory Horizons Council publishes recommendations on the regulation of hydrogen fuel propulsion in maritime vessels
The Regulatory Horizons Council (RHC) has published an independent report on the regulation of hydrogen propulsion in maritime vessels, to help take advantage of the benefits of hydrogen fuel and stimulate sustainable growth in the maritime sector.
Maritime vessels produce around 5% of the UK’s domestic transport greenhouse gas emissions, more than domestic rail and bus emissions combined, and there is growing demand for coastal vessels driven by expanding wind-power and offshore aquaculture industries.
Hydrogen-fuelled propulsion is considered one of a range of technologies offering a solution to decarbonise these operations. The RHC believes that now is the opportune moment to ensure that appropriate regulatory systems are in place to capitalise on the growth opportunities associated with hydrogen-vessel supply chains.
The RHC report builds on the Department for Transport’s consultation on domestic maritime decarbonisation and should inform the refreshed Clean Maritime Plan, the UK’s environment route map to zero emissions in the maritime sector, scheduled for publication by the DfT this year.
The RHC is delighted by the Department for Transport’s announcement of Round 4 of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC), a grant fund for the development and deployment of real-world operational demonstrations of clean maritime solutions. The announcement is a significant financial commitment by government to continue to support the decarbonisation of the maritime sector, and addresses recommendation 3 of the RHC report covering further spending commitments on hydrogen vessels and associated infrastructure.
The Regulatory Horizons Council believes that the report’s recommendations, if implemented, could support the use of hydrogen fuel in the maritime sector by:
Increasing the speed of approvals of zero-carbon and novel vessel designs, by appointing class societies as ‘Approved Bodies’ (ABs) for vessel design evaluation
Providing clarity to shipbuilders and innovators, through the production of better specialized guidance for the designs of hydrogen-propulsion vessels
Accelerating the build rate of hydrogen vessels, by ensuring future spending commitments are made at a scale comparable to international competitors and focus on de-risking hydrogen vessels from a technical and commercial perspective to bring private investment into the market
Incentivising strategic planning for investment ahead of need for hydrogen infrastructure at ports, by establishing guidelines for ports to plan appropriately for the required transition to low and no-emission ship propulsion, and invest in the roll-out of the infrastructure
Building investor confidence in port owners and shipbuilders to undertake hydrogen infrastructure and vessel construction, through improved governance for onshore hydrogen facilities
Ensuring proactive resolution of evolving regulatory issues through the creation of a Centre or Taskforce for Hydrogen Maritime Propulsion
