Applicability of Hydrogen Fuel for a Cruise Ship

Maarit Mäkelä, Seppo Niemi, Carolin Nuortila () and Lauri Nyystilä
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Maarit Mäkelä: School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, P.O. Box 700, 65101 Vaasa, Finland
Seppo Niemi: School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, P.O. Box 700, 65101 Vaasa, Finland
Carolin Nuortila: School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, P.O. Box 700, 65101 Vaasa, Finland
Lauri Nyystilä: School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, P.O. Box 700, 65101 Vaasa, Finland

Clean Technol., 2025, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Cruise ships function as a means of transport while simultaneously accommodating thousands of guests, providing a holiday experience with various entertainment options. This translates to high energy requirements for propulsion and hotel operations, typically covered by the combustion of fossil fuels. The operation of cruise vessels with fossil fuels contributes to carbon dioxide and also local harmful emissions in ports when shore power connections are not available. To enable cleaner and sustainable cruising, alternative technologies and fuels must be adopted. The present study evaluated the applicability of hydrogen fuel in combustion engines in a Meraviglia-class cruise ship. The fuel consumption of the ship was based on a real operation in Europe. This study examined how fuel energy in the form of LH 2 could be stored on the ship for a European cruise route and concludes that 3700 m 3 of storage space would be needed to accommodate the liquid hydrogen. The mass of the LH 2 would only be one-third of that of fossil fuels, but the weight of the LH 2 tanks would most likely increase the total weight of the hydrogen storage. Additional new technologies and combined power production could significantly reduce the amount of LH 2 to be stored.

Keywords: marine engines; cruise ships; renewable fuels; hydrogen; fuel consumption; fuel storage; safety (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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