Hydrogen Powered Ferries in the Adriatic Sea: A Technical and Environmental Assessment

The utilization of hydrogen as a fuel for maritime vessels represents a significant step forward in the maritime industry's transition toward sustainable operations. According to the International Maritime Organization, the share of global Greenhouse Gas emissions from the maritime transportation sector has increased to almost 3%. From this context, this study focuses on the selection of representative maritime routes in the Adriatic Sea and the development of solutions for transitioning diesel-engine-powered to hydrogen-powered ferry vessel solutions. The objective is to assess the technical feasibility of hydrogen-based power generation (for all onboard utilities, including propulsion) by evaluating route and vessel characteristics, including environmental and fuel consumption aspects. The environmental evaluation encompasses air quality analysis, emphasizing pollutants such as SO2, NO2, CO, PM2.5, and PM10 in the involved port areas, Natura 2000 site assessments to identify ecologically sensitive zones, and CO2 emissions avoidance calculations to quantify potential reductions from switching to hydrogen technology. The fuel consumption analysis estimates hydrogen demand based on vessel energy requirements. The results provide an environmental route profile, highlighting emissions and protected areas; and a fuel consumption route profile, detailing hydrogen demand for propulsion and auxiliary power. The findings offer effective insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders to facilitate the adoption of hydrogen-powered vessels in the Adriatic Sea, supporting the broader goal of maritime decarbonization.