Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) has received an Approval in Principle (AiP) from Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) for its full liquid hydrogen-based SOV design.
The level 1 AiP brings LDA one step closer to making its ground-breaking project a reality. The 100% hydrogen-powered SOV will be able to operate 95% of the time with zero carbon emissions during standard operations, leading to an estimated 4,000t annual CO₂ reduction. Beyond the reduction of is environmental impact, the vessel is engineered for maximum efficiency and operability. It can accommodate up to 90 technicians onboard while ensuring continuous 24-hour operations. With a 14-day endurance at sea, it eliminates the need for additional offshore infrastructure. Refuelling is streamlined, as bunkering can be completed in just six hours using trailers, removing the necessity for heavy port facilities.
LDA says it believes in developing purpose-built SOVs tailored to specific projects and needs, and is already offering alternative fuel options such as full electric and dual-fuel methanol. The company believes that hydrogen will be one of the options in the near future. This AiP represents another step toward making hydrogen-powered maritime operations a reality, enabling more efficient solutions for the offshore wind industry.
Image: LDA’s H2-powered SOV concept (source: Louis Dreyfus Armateurs)
