NG Shipyards is active in researching and applying techniques that lead to shortening the energy transition or even freeing fossil fuels from ships. We are researching the possibilities of propulsion and auxiliary systems on hydrogen on several fronts. For this application we want to use the fuel cell application as well as the internal combustion engine on hydrogen as this technology is currently under development. In addition to gaseous hydrogen storage, we also investigate the possibilities with hydrogen stored in powder form.

NG Shipyards is co-initiator and partner of the Wadduurzaam Foundation. (www.wadduurzaam.nl) This foundation has bought the sustainable sailing ship “Ecolution” from the heirs of Wubbo Ockels. Plans are currently being worked out for converting to hydrogen propulsion. The ship is part of the Top Dutch program and is used as the flagship of the northern hydrogen economy. As a driver for this new economy, the campaign “from here to Tokyo” was created. Objective: To use the Olympic Games in Tokyo (2020) to position the Netherlands strongly in the field of hydrogen. The aim is to bring the “Ecolution” to Tokyo for this. The foundation receives broad support for these developments from the Province of Groningen, Rabobank and Gasunie.

NG Shipyards has joined forces with a number of other entrepreneurs in the Coalition ‘Sustainable port Lauwersoog’. The initiator is the Port Authority Lauwersoog. She has given herself the assignment to become energy-neutral within the foreseeable future. Aside from the sustainable energy supplies and possible energy saving, there are a number of areas for improvement that are being worked on. The fossil propulsion of shipping is one of these.

The task of NG Shipyards is to investigate, engineer and test the applicability of hydrogen as fuel in the ships that are active in and around the Unesco World Heritage Wadden Sea, in order to generate convincing evidence in theory and practice. Sailing profiles of the different types of ships are currently being mapped out which will give an insight into the different options of applying hydrogen in these ships.