The company named Norwegian Hydrogen the preferred hydrogen supplier for its two SeaShuttle vessels that are set to begin operating between the Netherlands and Norway in 2027.

Under a memorandum of understanding inked in December, Norwegian Hydrogen will deliver fuel for the vessels from its 25MW Rjukan liquid green hydrogen, which reached final investment decision last April.

Samskip’s two 135m, 500-TEU SeaShuttle vessels will feature a hydrogen propulsion system combining a cryogenic storage unit for liquid green hydrogen with 3.2MW of fuel cells.

The SeaShuttles plan to operate on Samskip’s route between Rotterdam and Oslo by Q2 2027. With Rjukan not expected to start producing molecules until 2028, the source of liquid hydrogen for the interim has not been disclosed.

The company said the vessels will reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 27,000 tonnes. Samskip CEO, Ólafur Orri Ólafsson, said hydrogen would be a “critical enabler” of decarbonising short-sea shipping.

Norwegian Hydrogen said the collaboration with Samskip can help to break a deadlock that the clean hydrogen sector has been constrained by a lack of demand hindering investment, and a lack of supply discouraging demand.

CEO Jens Berge said the firm’s Rjukan project was “ideally positioned” to support early hydrogen adopters in the maritime sector.

The project has been backed by a €31.5m ($36.8m) grant from the EU Innovation Fund, as well as €13.2m ($15.5m) in support from European Hydrogen Bank auctions.