Top 10 PEM Fuel Cell Maritime Projects: 6.4 MW Samskip Order, Viking’s 6 MW System, and 10+ Deployments (2025-2026)

The maritime sector is advancing from small-scale trials to material, multi-megawatt PEM fuel cell deployments for both auxiliary and primary vessel power. This transition is driven by stringent environmental regulations and a strategic push to validate zero-emission technologies. Key data points from 2025 and 2026, including Samskip’s 6.4 MW order for container ship propulsion and Viking’s 6 MW system for cruise ship auxiliary power, confirm that fuel cells are becoming a viable decarbonization pathway. The dominant theme for the period is the launch of “first-mover” vessels, primarily in European shipping lanes, which serve as crucial testbeds for marine-grade hydrogen systems and will dictate the pace of wider adoption.

1. Viking’s 6 MW Cruise Ship System

Operator / Project: Viking
Capacity: 6 MW
Application: The cruise ship Viking Libra is being fitted with a PEM fuel cell system for auxiliary power, enabling zero-emission operations in port.
Source: Fincantieri Floats for Viking “First Hydrogen-Powered Cruise Ship”

2. Samskip’s 6.4 MW Container Vessel Order

Operator / Project: Samskip
Capacity: 6.4 MW
Application: Two container vessels will be equipped with fuel cells for primary propulsion, representing one of the largest marine orders to date.
Source: Ballard announces order for 6.4 MW to e Cap Marine for Samskip …

3. Sea Shuttle Project’s Hydrogen Container Ships

Operator / Project: Sea Shuttle Project
Capacity: 6.4 MW (2 x 3.2 MW)
Application: Two 135-meter container ships are designed to operate entirely on hydrogen fuel cells for propulsion between Oslo and Rotterdam.
Source: The Hydrogen Mirage at Sea. Maritime Shipping Keeps Abandoning …

4. EU Clean Hydrogen JU’s 2 MW Demonstration

Operator / Project: EU Clean Hydrogen JU Project
Capacity: 2 MW
Application: A research and development project to design, validate, and demonstrate a liquid hydrogen-powered fuel cell system on a ship.
Source: [PDF] Clean Hydrogen JU AWP 2025_FINAL_ADOPTED.pdf

5. MSC Cruises’ SOFC Auxiliary Power Unit

Operator / Project: MSC Cruises
Capacity: 0.15 MW (150 k W)
Application: The MSC World Europa features a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) system for auxiliary power, initially fueled by LNG to prove the technology’s viability.
Source: [PDF] Hydrogen Applications for Energy Transition in Port and Airport …

6. GMI Rederi’s Hydrogen Bulk Carriers

Operator / Project: GMI Rederi AS
Capacity: Not Specified
Application: Two newbuild bulk carriers will be the first of their kind powered by hydrogen, with fuel cell systems from Power Cell Group.
Source: Power Cell Equips World’s First Hydrogen-Powered Bulk Carriers

7. Rotterdam Operator’s Short-Sea Newbuilds

Operator / Project: Unnamed Rotterdam Operator
Capacity: Not Specified
Application: Two newbuild short-sea container ships will be equipped with a complete fuel cell power, propulsion, and automation system from ABB.
Source: Fuel Cell Technology News – Marine Link

8. San Francisco Bay Ferry’s Commercial Vessel

Operator / Project: San Francisco Bay Ferry
Capacity: Not Specified
Application: The Sea Change vessel is noted as the first commercially operating hydrogen-powered ferry in the United States.
Source: Next-gen marine fuels power progress, yet challenges remain

9. Scripps Institution’s Research Vessel

Operator / Project: Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Capacity: Not Specified
Application: A new California Coastal Research Vessel is being developed with a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system for zero-emission research missions.
Source: Fuel Cells News – Marine Link

10. Hyundai’s Technology Demonstrator Boat

Operator / Project: Hyundai Motor Group
Capacity: Not Specified
Application: A demonstration boat powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, showcased as part of the company’s broader hydrogen value chain strategy.
Source: Hyundai Motor Group Showcases Hydrogen Technologies Across …

Table: Top 10 Maritime Fuel Cell Deployments 2025-2026

6.4 MW Systems, PEM Fuel Cell Primary Propulsion Adoption

The pattern of industry adoption for fuel cells reveals a distinct, two-track strategy. For large, ocean-going vessels, the immediate application is auxiliary power. Cruise lines like Viking (6 MW) and MSC Cruises (150 k W) are installing systems to achieve zero emissions while in port, directly addressing regulations in Emission Control Areas. For smaller vessels on fixed routes, the technology is being deployed for primary propulsion. Projects from Samskip and the Sea Shuttle Project, both using 6.4 MW systems, demonstrate growing confidence in using hydrogen as the main fuel for short-sea container shipping. This dual approach shows the technology’s flexibility while implicitly acknowledging that fuel availability and storage challenges currently limit its application for deep-sea primary propulsion.

Passenger Vessels Lead Hydrogen Adoption

This chart supports the text’s discussion of different adoption strategies by showing the breakdown of hydrogen projects by vessel type, validating the focus on passenger and container ships.

(Source: ScienceDirect.com)

Europe Leads, Viking and Samskip Hydrogen Deployments

The geographic distribution of these projects firmly establishes Europe as the global leader in maritime hydrogen and fuel cell deployment. The most significant projects by power capacity—Viking, Samskip, and the Sea Shuttle Project—are all centered in Europe. This concentration is a direct result of strong regulatory drivers from the EU and national governments, complemented by public funding mechanisms like the EU’s Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking. Key port hubs, including Rotterdam and Oslo, are becoming early centers for hydrogen bunkering infrastructure, creating a supportive environment for these initial deployments. While the U.S. has pioneering projects like the San Francisco Bay Ferry, the scale and investment level in Europe are currently an order of magnitude greater, positioning the continent to define the initial standards for marine hydrogen applications.

PEM Fuel Cell Maturity, Ballard Power Systems 6.4 MW Order

These deployments signal that marine fuel cell technology, particularly Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology, is transitioning from demonstration to early commercialization. The 6.4 MW order from Samskip, to be supplied by Ballard Power Systems, is not a small-scale trial; it is a commercial order for a system intended for primary propulsion. The involvement of major shipbuilders like Fincantieri (for Viking) and system integrators like ABB in firm contracts for newbuilds indicates that a viable supply chain is forming. These partners are developing the essential engineering, safety protocols, and integration expertise required for marine-grade hydrogen systems. While Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) are also being tested (MSC Cruises), the prevalence and power rating of PEM systems in these projects suggest they are the more mature solution for multi-megawatt maritime applications today.

Hydrogen Ship Launches Accelerate Over Time

This timeline visually reinforces the section’s point that fuel cell technology is maturing and transitioning from demonstration to early commercialization, as shown by the increasing number of launches.

(Source: ScienceDirect.com)

Ballard Power Systems 2026 Outlook for Maritime PEM Fuel Cells

The most critical strategic factor for the maritime sector in the next 18 months will be the operational performance and reliability data from the first wave of multi-megawatt vessels, particularly the Samskip container ships. This real-world data on fuel consumption, maintenance schedules, and system uptime will be the ultimate determinant of follow-on orders and broader industry confidence in hydrogen as a primary marine fuel.

• Gaining Traction: The scale of fuel cell orders is increasing significantly. Systems are moving from sub-megawatt demonstrations to commercial orders exceeding 6 MW, as evidenced by the Samskip and Sea Shuttle projects targeting primary propulsion.
• Gaining Traction: Cruise operators are adopting large-scale auxiliary power units as a standard feature to comply with port emission regulations. Viking’s 6 MW system marks a new baseline for newbuild cruise ships, moving beyond small pilot projects.
• Lagging: The primary bottleneck remains the lack of global hydrogen bunkering infrastructure. This confines the current generation of hydrogen-powered vessels to fixed, short-sea routes primarily in Northern Europe and hinders the business case for deep-sea applications.
• Gaining Traction: Specialized fuel cell manufacturers like Ballard Power Systems and Power Cell Group are securing significant, named contracts. This signals a shift from speculative R&D partnerships to a functioning B 2 B market with a developing order book for commercial systems.

Hydrogen Ship Market Poised for Growth

This forecast chart aligns with the section’s forward-looking perspective, quantifying the potential market growth that hinges on the success of current projects and increasing order sizes.

(Source: Prophecy Market Insights)

The questions your competitors are already asking

This report covers one angle of the maritime sector’s first multi-megawatt PEM fuel cell deployments. The questions that matter most depend on your work.

• Which shipping lines and cruise operators are gaining or losing ground in the race to deploy hydrogen-powered vessels?
• What is the outlook for multi-megawatt PEM fuel cell deployment in the maritime sector by 2030?
• How do PEM fuel cells compare to ammonia-fueled internal combustion engines for vessel decarbonization?
• Which cruise and container lines are the most likely next adopters of multi-megawatt fuel cell systems?

This report does not answer these. Enki Brief Pro does.

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