NavHyS marks one year of Hydrogen Innovation
The NavHyS partners are marking a key milestone in the project’s journey towards advancing the use of liquid hydrogen in the shipping sector.
17. March 2026
NAVHYS’ goal is to provide a concept for a below-deck LH2 storage and fuel system for an SOV to propose a fully decarbonized maintenance solution for wind energy providers.
The NavHyS project aims to develop innovative solutions for the storage and use of liquid hydrogen (LH2) as a sustainable energy carrier for maritime transport. VARD is a member of a consortium of 14 leading European partners is working towards the development of a below-deck liquid hydrogen storage and fuel system.
Achievements
The first year shows significant progress across all major work packages:
- LH₂ onboard tank: A preliminary design of the tank, tailored to the specific requirements of liquid hydrogen storage, has been completed.
- LH₂ fuel system: A reference architecture for the system has been selected, preliminarily confirming the technical opportunities unlocked by the integration of LH₂
- Offshore wind support vessel: The first versions of the general arrangement, system designs and relevant technical documentation, have been developed, and a conceptual 3D render of the ship, illustrating the integration of the LH₂ tank and the fuel system on board, has been created.
- Ship operations specification: The technical and operational requirements for the hydrogen-fueled vessel have been defined.
- Hydrogen refueling supply chain: A preliminary bunkering protocol has been proposed.
- Life Cycle Assessment: A framework for conducting a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been established to evaluate the environmental and social impacts of the NavHyS solutions.
- Safety analysis: A mini-HAZID, identifying potential hazards related to LH₂ bunkering, storage, transfer, and onboard use, has been conducted.
With a solid technical foundation now in place and strong collaboration across the consortium, NavHyS is entering its next stage with confidence. The coming months will focus on further integration, validation, and refinement of the project’s solutions, bringing the maritime sector one step closer to the safe and sustainable adoption of liquid hydrogen as a zero-emission fuel.
VARD's role
In close collaboration with Ariane Group, our valued customer North Star—and 11 other esteemed partners, we are a part of this groundbreaking project: designing a Service Operation Vessel (SOV) optimized from the ground up for Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) powered operations.
Henrik Burvang is leading Vard Design's participation in the project and the packages for development and approval of ship design.
Marius Endresen is in lead of the design work.
Gunnar Heggbakk is responsible for integration of the hydrogen system.
NavHyS and sHYpS: Joining Forces for Sustainable Shipping Powered by Liquid Hydrogen
The NavHyS and sHYpS projects are intensifying their cooperation to accelerate hydrogen innovation in the maritime sector.
🔹 NavHyS develops and validates a liquid hydrogen (LH₂) storage and fuel system concept for maritime vessels, addressing key technical and safety aspects of integrating LH₂ on board ships. https://navhys.eu/
🔹 sHYpS advances the transition toward zero-emission shipping through the development and demonstration of a novel LH₂ swappable storage solution, adaptable across multiple types of vessels. https://www.shyps.eu/
By aligning efforts and strengthening coordination, both projects reinforce Europe’s ambition to drive the decarbonisation of the shipping industry, by deploying safe, scalable and zero-emission hydrogen technologies.
Hydrogen is steadily gaining ground in maritime transport. Collaboration between projects with a shared vision is essential to move this development faster and further!
The NavHyS and the sHYpS projects are co-funded by the European Union and supported by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership.
