ELIRE Maritime and consortium partners have validated a grid-independent hydrogen power hub designed to deliver clean electricity directly to vessels at berth without requiring shoreside grid upgrades.

The project was delivered through the UKRI-funded Clean Maritime Demonstrator Competition Round 6 (CMDC6), supported by Innovate UK and the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE), part of the UK Department for Transport.

The consortium includes Ricardo plc, Schneider Electric, Rux Energy, Triton Anchor, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, and the University of Strathclyde.

According to the consortium, the programme demonstrated that large vessels can be powered at berth using existing hydrogen, battery, fuel cell, and electrical technologies integrated into a modular system designed for rapid deployment across global ports.

Addressing infrastructure constraints

The validated system consists of three modular hexagonal floating platforms with a combined footprint of approximately 1,200 sq m.

At full configuration, the platform can deliver 5MW of continuous clean power output, approximately 91MWh of energy delivery per week, approximately 45MWh of integrated battery storage, compatibility with both 6.6kV and 11kV shore power connections, and up to 146kW of onboard solar generation.

Luke Jenkinson, founder and CEO of ELIRE Maritime, commented: "Ports are under increasing pressure to decarbonise while facing major infrastructure constraints. The Hydrogen Power Hub proves that ports do not need to wait years for grid upgrades to begin reducing emissions. We have validated a practical, scalable, and deployable system capable of delivering clean power directly where it is needed most."

The system is designed to power medium-sized cruise vessels and other large maritime assets directly at berth without requiring any shoreside grid connection.

Rather than relying on oversized generators, the platform uses modular 1.3MW fuel cell systems operating continuously throughout the week to gradually charge onboard batteries before rapidly dispatching energy when vessels arrive.

Hydrogen storage and refuelling

The platform uses approximately 7,500–8,000kg of hydrogen per week, stored within modular ISO-compatible low-pressure storage containers integrated directly into the floating infrastructure.

The current layout accommodates seven onboard hydrogen tanks, with refuelling operations expected approximately twice weekly.

According to ELIRE Maritime, ports do not require permanent hydrogen infrastructure during early deployment phases, allowing hydrogen adoption to scale incrementally while reducing upfront infrastructure risk.

Validation programme

The six-month CMDC6 programme included hydrodynamic, structural, electrical, and operational validation.

Wave tank testing conducted by the University of Strathclyde validated platform stability, motion response, structural integrity, and multi-platform connectivity.

Triton Anchor completed mooring analysis, anchor system validation, procurement review, and installation planning, identifying no major technical barriers to deployment.

Schneider Electric validated the grid-independent AC/DC electrical architecture and battery energy storage systems, while Ricardo plc and Rux Energy validated the hydrogen-to-power integration systems.

Emissions reduction

Feasibility-stage emissions analysis led by Ricardo plc indicated that the system can reduce vessel emissions at berth by approximately 77% compared with conventional onboard diesel generation, even after accounting for hydrogen production, storage, transport, and operational losses.

Key validated emissions outcomes include approximately 47 tonnes of CO₂ saved per vessel per week, approximately 2,444 tonnes of annual CO₂ reduction per vessel, and reduced NOx, SOx, and particulate emissions.

The consortium estimates the solution could support the reduction of up to 500,000 tonnes of CO₂ globally over the next decade through scalable deployment of floating clean energy infrastructure.

Deployment timeline and economics

According to ELIRE Maritime, traditional shore power infrastructure can take between three and seven years or longer to deliver. In contrast, the modular floating system is designed for faster deployment because the infrastructure is pre-engineered and relocatable.

The platform also aims to eliminate stranded asset risk by enabling infrastructure to move with future market demand.

Beyond shore power, the floating infrastructure can support port electrification, offshore wind integration, logistics infrastructure, offshore operations, defence applications, and future maritime energy networks.

The consortium estimates a global addressable market of approximately 62TWh annually for grid-independent maritime energy solutions, particularly in ports where conventional shore power remains constrained or economically impractical.

While hydrogen-powered systems are currently more expensive than diesel or grid electricity, the consortium emphasises that the value proposition lies in deployability, flexibility, and infrastructure accessibility.

Current demonstrator-scale energy costs are estimated at approximately £0.25–£0.50/kWh for the Hydrogen Power Hub and £0.15–£0.25/kWh for conventional shore power.

However, future reductions in hydrogen pricing, manufacturing scale, and modular standardisation are expected to improve competitiveness over time.

Future deployment

ELIRE Maritime is progressing discussions for future deployments across the UK, Europe, Australia, and Asia, including early-stage engagement in London, Singapore, Hamburg, Brisbane, and Riga.

The project leveraged a multidisciplinary consortium including ELIRE Maritime, which led project management, naval architecture, electrical and maritime systems engineering, platform integration, and commercial equipment sourcing.

Rux Energy UK developed low-cost, safe, high-density hydrogen storage using nanoporous materials, responsible for end-to-end gas handling. The company has secured pre-sales for 40 systems generating £15m in annual revenue from 2028.

Ricardo UK developed hydrogen conversion systems, electrical monitoring and control, and provided market intelligence on fuel cell and reciprocating engine solutions.

Schneider Electric designed AC-connected microgrids, renewable integration, battery energy storage system management, and provided supply chain access for LV/MV equipment.

Triton Anchor Europe developed multi-helix mooring solutions, flexible seabed design, and underwater tooling for platform deployment.

Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult contributed technical development of floating renewable systems, hydrogen compression and storage concepts, and H2 transportation logistics.

The University of Strathclyde provided academic expertise in naval architecture and electrical engineering, hydrodynamic testing, DC microgrid design, and cost glidepath analysis.

Sealand Projects provided engineering consultancy for transport and installation planning of floating marine assets.