Fuel cell retrofit

The first pilot system will be a 1 MW system for onboard power production. It is expected to be installed on one of A.P. Moller – Maersk’s large dual fuel-enabled methanol vessels in the first half of 2026. Maersk is an investor in Blue World.

Blue World will initially supply systems for auxiliary power and expects that their maritime system will reach a commercial level in 2027. Eventually, the company plans to supply multi-megawatt propulsion systems for global shipping.

“This is a major breakthrough within maritime decarbonisation and with the test of our 200-kW system, we are proving that the HT PEM fuel cell technology has the potential of being one of the key technologies to decarbonise the hard-to-abate sectors. During the test period, we successfully validated our system setup with the methanol fuel processor, the series connection of the fuel cell stacks, as well as the balance of plant components surrounding the fuel cells,” Dennis Naldal Jensen, Chief Technology Officer at Blue World Technologies explains.

The order for the pilot system was followed by a venture investment by Maersk Growth – the venture arm of A.P. Moller – Maersk – where they, at the end of 2023, participated in an 11 million EUR pre-C-round, together with the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO), Cycle Group, and other new and existing shareholders.

Alex Smout, Investment Director at Maersk Growth, says: “As an investor in Blue World Technologies, we are pleased to follow the progress of the system development, and we share the team’s excitement for the successful testing of the 200-kW fuel cell system. The maritime industry needs multiple new technologies and pathways to reach its net-zero targets, and high-temperature PEM fuel cell technology is very promising in finding a balance between the high electrical efficiency, size, and load adjustment. This is a great example of how we can support innovation through both investment and partnership.”

10/09/2024