European logistics company and shipowner Samskip has signed an MoU with Norwegian Hydrogen as preferred supplier for liquid green hydrogen (LH2) for the two SeaShuttle container vessels it has currently under construction.
The SeaShuttles are said to be the first hydrogen-powered container vessels and will operate Samskip’s route between Rotterdam and Oslo. Samskip’s investment in hydrogen is considered to reflect its ambitious climate and sustainability goals and follows the recent verification of Samskip’s ‘Net-Zero by 2040’ target by the Science-Based Targets initiative, and the EcoVadis Platinum medal that ranked Samskip at Top 1% in sustainability performance in 2024. Supported by a grant from the Norwegian Enova Fund, the SeaShuttles will demonstrate the feasibility of operating on LH2 produced from sustainable energy.
The hydrogen will be delivered from Norwegian Hydrogen’s LH2 production plant in Rjukan, Norway. The company recently announced a grant of €31.5m from the 2025 EU Innovation Fund Call for the Rjukan LH project, to establish a complete value chain for production, distribution and bunkering of LH2. This grant comes in addition to the previously announced support of €13.2m via the EU Hydrogen Auction towards operating costs, as well as a combination of grants and green loans totalling NOK 100m from Innovation Norway.
Norwegian Hydrogen’s Rjukan LH2 project has secured the required connection to the Norwegian power-grid for access to the renewable electricity required for operating the plant, which will be provided under a long-term power purchase agreement with Tinn Energi & Fiber. The zoning plan for the project plot has been approved by the municipal authorities, and the company is in the final phases of selecting suppliers for provision of key equipment, components and services to construct the plant. Hydrogen deliveries are expected to start in 2028.
According to Norwegian Hydrogen, the hydrogen economy has long been constrained by a classic ‘chicken-and-egg’ dilemma: lack of demand hinders investment in production, while lack of supply discourages demand. Through this strategic collaboration, Samskip and Norwegian Hydrogen believe they are breaking that deadlock and taking a major step toward scaling hydrogen-powered logistics across Europe.
Ólafur Orri Ólafsson, CEO Samskip, said: “Our partnership with Norwegian Hydrogen marks an important step on our journey towards Net-Zero emissions by 2040. Hydrogen is a critical enabler for deep decarbonisation in short-sea shipping, and Norwegian Hydrogen has demonstrated the capability and commitment needed to support our ambition. Together, we are not only preparing the energy supply for our SeaShuttle vessels, we are also helping accelerate the transition to sustainable logistics across Europe.”
Jens Berge, CEO Norwegian Hydrogen, added: “We are deeply grateful for Samskip’s support and first-mover determination, leading the way in decarbonising short-sea container shipping. It is reassuring to see that our efforts to create a project that meets Samskip’s requirements are now yielding tangible results, enabling Samskip to proceed exclusively with us from this point. Right-sized and with all critical elements in place, the Rjukan LH2 project is ideally positioned for delivery of liquid green hydrogen to early adopters within maritime, industry, and other sectors, covering a large geographical area at a highly attractive price point”.
Image: Illustration of the Samskip Sea Shuttle (credit: Samskip)
