In January, Bureau Veritas granted its approval in principle for this hybrid hydrogen-powered vessel project, designed to transport operators for the maintenance of offshore wind turbines. This marks a crucial milestone, paving the way for the vessel’s commercial launch.
Initiated in 2022, the ZEPH2* project brings together five key players: Zéphyr et Borée (shipowner and project leader), Piriou (naval architect and shipbuilder), Ekium – formerly Sofresid Engineering (engineering firm), Entech (specialist in energy conversion), and ComposiTIC (research institute). The consortium submitted its technical dossier last June.
In practical terms, the vessel will be equipped with 800 kW of fuel cells and will carry up to 350 kg of hydrogen. The goal is to cut CO2 emissions during operations by more than 50%, leading to annual savings of approximately 670 tonnes of CO2 equivalent compared to a conventional diesel-powered crew transfer vessel (CTV), with a reduction in fuel consumption of around 250 m³ of diesel per year.
Hybrid hydrogen-powered vessels of this kind will be highly beneficial for offshore operations, especially given the rapid expansion of offshore wind farms in France, which are targeting 45 GW of installed capacity by 2050. These vessels enable the transport of operators and equipment to offshore sites while minimising pollutant and carbon emissions.
*The project has been endorsed by the Pôle Mer Bretagne Atlantique and EMC2 competitiveness clusters and is funded by the ERDF, the Brittany Region, Lorient Agglomération, and Quimper Bretagne Occidentale Agglomération.
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