MOL and Samsung Heavy Industries land order to design Solid Oxide Fuel Cell-powered vessel

In Japan, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd (SHI) have jointly acquired Approval in Principle (AiP) from the Lloyd’s Register for the design of a 174,000 LNG Carrier equipped with Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology. The 174,000 LNG carrier will be equipped with a 300kW SOFC, supplied by Bloom Energy, to be used as an auxiliary power generator and the ship will be delivered in 2027.

SOFC technology is a highly efficient, high-temperature process that converts fuels like natural gas, hydrogen, methanol, or ammonia directly into electricity and heat through an electro-chemical process – without burning them. This highly efficient energy conversion reduces the amount of fuel required to generate the same amount of electricity, resulting in lower GHG emissions. In addition, since SOFC generates electricity without combustion, emissions of harmful gases such as NOx and SOx, as well as methane slip, can be significantly reduced to negligible levels.
While the installation of SOFC on vessels is still rare, the risk assessment including Hazard Identification (HAZID) and Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP) were conducted in collaboration with key project stakeholders, resulting in the acquisition of the AiP.