Through its new H2Site Norway arm the Bilbao-based firm will supply onboard systems that crack ammonia into hydrogen for use in fuel cells or blending in engines.

The move is aimed at accelerating demonstration projects with Norwegian shipowners, shipyards, and offshore operators, amid growing government support for maritime decarbonisation.

H2Site has been building and operating ammonia crackers since 2023, and has carried out maritime-focused projects addressing integration with fuel cells and engines.

Its core IP centres palladium-alloy membranes for reactors and separators to remove hydrogen from streams, including natural gas and ammonia.

While several maritime engine makers are developing ammonia-fuelled solutions, technical and safety concerns – including NOx emissions and unburned ammonia slip – have slowed adoption.

The company argues that by cracking ammonia into hydrogen onboard vessels, hydrogen can be directly used as a fuel without the need for large-volume hydrogen storage.

Tomás Crespo, Maritime Business Development Manager at H2Site, stressed the readiness of the technology, saying “implementation…and operational learning” are now the company’s priorities.

The moves comes amid tighter EU and International Maritime Organization emissions rules and Norway’s push to act as a test bed for zero-emission shipping.