Samskip has announced that its SeaShuttle project — two liquid hydrogen-powered container vessels under construction for service between Rotterdam and Oslo — is joining the HyShip initiative, a European research and demonstration project aimed at advancing liquid hydrogen infrastructure for zero-emission short-sea shipping.

The move connects the SeaShuttle vessels with a consortium of European maritime, energy, engineering and research partners working under HyShip to develop technologies, infrastructure and operational standards for hydrogen-powered shipping. HyShip is funded under the EU's Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, coordinated by Maritime Cleantech, with an overall budget of approximately €11m.

According to Samskip, the SeaShuttle vessels are designed with commercial operation in mind rather than as demonstration-only projects. Once introduced into service in 2027, they will transport containerised freight on the Rotterdam–Oslo corridor using liquid hydrogen as their energy source. Samskip claims each vessel is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 25,000 tonnes annually when operating in zero-emission mode.

A central element of the HyShip project is the development of liquid hydrogen bunkering infrastructure needed to fuel the SeaShuttle vessels in commercial operation, combining onboard liquid hydrogen storage and fuel cell propulsion with the quayside supply chain required to support it. The consortium is also said to be developing safety standards, risk frameworks and regulatory pathways intended to support broader adoption of hydrogen across European short-sea shipping.

Jeroen Hollebrands, head of newbuilding and projects at Samskip, said: "Our SeaShuttles have always been about proving that hydrogen-powered shipping can work in everyday commercial operations, not just as a concept. By joining HyShip, we're taking an important step beyond the vessel itself. Together with our partners, we're helping develop the liquid hydrogen supply chain, bunkering infrastructure and operational knowledge needed to make hydrogen-powered shipping scalable across Europe."

Samskip describes the SeaShuttle project as part of a broader sustainability strategy that combines a multimodal logistics network with investment in alternative fuels and zero-emission technologies. The company has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieving net-zero by 2040, targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).