Meyer Werft Kicks Off Fuel Cells for Cruise Ship Retrofits Project

German shipyard Meyer Werft has launched the zero4cruise project with project partners including Freudenberg e-Power Systems and the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

The project aims to develop climate-friendly and low emission energy systems for cruise ships, focusing on fuel cell technology powered by green methanol.

The hybrid energy system will combine PEM fuel cells with a methanol reformer and battery systems to optimize efficiency and ensure ships can operate carbon-neutral in ports and coastal areas.

The project’s core goal is to create large scale fuel cell stacks (DLR) and fuel cell systems (Freudenberg e-Power Systems) that can be retrofitted on existing ships. This retrofit approach is key to accelerating the decarbonization of the cruise sector given the long operational lifespans of vessels.