Hydrogen-ready vessel delivered

Offshore wind service company Edda Wind has taken delivery of its first hydrogen-ready Commissioning Operation Vessel(CSOV).

The Edda Breeze is the first to be delivered as part of a nine-vessel newbuilding program.

The CSOV Edda Breeze has been designed with flexibility and operability that enable it to service wind farms worldwide. The vessel has also been prepared for zero-emission operations with hydrogen as energy carrier in a Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) concept. This concept has been adopted by Edda Wind as it meets the company’s strict criteria for safe operation, logistical solutions and endurance. For example, this way of handling hydrogen on board avoids exposure to the safety risks that exist for several other green fuel solutions.

LOHC is an organic oil loaded with hydrogen. German-based Hydrogenious LOHC Technology has developed and patented the LOHC technology, which is a process of loading hydrogen in a thermal oil as well as releasing it where and when it’s needed. An important challenge for using hydrogen in shipping is safety. LOHC solves this, as it is neither inflammable nor explosive.

Main propulsion is provided by two Voith Schneider eVSP. The ship incorporates three Brunvoll tunnel thrusters.

LOHC Technology said this is expected to revolutionize the supply chain for hydrogen, as LOHC can be used to store and transport large quantities of hydrogen under ambient conditions, using the already existing fossil fuel infrastructure. The carrier oil – Benzyltoluene – can be loaded and unloaded with hydrogen many hundreds of times and is recyclable many times over. The energy density of LOHC is also favorable, as a vessel can store two to three times more energy compared to compressed hydrogen.