LH2 Shipping secured Enova support for two additional liquid hydrogen-powered bulk carriers and continues to lead the way in decarbonising shortsea shipping

Jun 17

Press Release 2026-06-16

Hydrogen vessel portfolio expands to six projects as LH2 Shipping continues the commercialisation of zero-emission maritime transport.

LH2 Shipping has been awarded Enova support of NOK 344,3 million for the development and construction of two additional liquid hydrogen-powered bulk carriers, marking another important milestone in the company’s efforts to bring zero-emission shipping solutions into commercial shortsea operations.

With the latest award, LH2 Shipping is now involved in the development of six hydrogen-powered bulk carrier projects. The announcement builds on previous Enova-supported vessel initiatives and reflects growing momentum for liquid hydrogen as a viable fuel alternative for short-sea shipping to meet decarbonising policy goals.

The new projects represent a continuation of LH2 Shipping’s long-term strategy to establish commercially viable hydrogen-powered vessels while contributing to the development of the supporting fuel and bunkering infrastructure required for large-scale adoption.

Ivan Østvik, CEO / Owner of LH2 Shipping AS.

Photo credit: LH2 Shipping AS.

“This award is an important strategic milestone for LH2 Shipping,” states Ivan Østvik, CEO of LH2 Shipping. “It strengthens our position as a developer of liquid hydrogen-based zero-emission vessel solutions and brings us yet another step closer to our ambition of enabling a substantial fleet of hydrogen-powered vessels that can help establish a complete maritime liquid hydrogen value chain.”

Since introducing the world’s first hydrogen-powered bulk carrier projects, LH2 Shipping has focused on moving beyond demonstration concepts toward commercially deployable vessels. The addition of vessels five and six further expands the project portfolio and supports continued industrial learning across ship design, fuel systems, operations, and infrastructure.

The Enova support will indirectly enable LH2 Shipping to continue their work developing additional zero-emission solutions for passenger transport and offshore operations, supporting Norway’s broader transition toward a low-emission maritime sector.

“If we are to succeed in the transition to low and zero emission solutions in the maritime sector, we depend on players who dare to go first. LH2 Shipping shows how shipping companies can take the lead and adopt new technology. This is crucial to accelerating development and reducing emissions from shipping," says Head of Hydrogen and Ammonia Initiatives, Elin Ulstad Stokland at Enova.

While significant work remains before hydrogen becomes widely adopted across the industry, LH2 Shipping believes that continued project execution, infrastructure development, and collaboration across the maritime value chain is key to realising zero-emission shipping at scale.

StrandBulk by LH2 Shipping AS, powered by liquid hydrogen (LH₂), providing zero emission maritime operations / eliminating CO₂ emissions from maritime operations.
Photo credit: LH2 Shipping AS.

This latest Enova award brings total support for the six vessels to more than NOK 800 million and reinforces the momentum behind hydrogen-powered shipping in Norway. Through these projects, LH2 Shipping is offering ship operators to decarbonise bulk transport at scale while contributing to the development of the infrastructure and experience needed for wider industry adoption.

LH2 Shipping AS is a leading innovator in zero-emission shipping, dedicated to enabling the transition to sustainable sea transport. Headquartered in Bergen, Norway, the company develops and delivers liquid hydrogen (LH₂)-powered solutions for a wide range of vessel types - from general cargo and bulk carriers to offshore supply vessels and cruise. Founded in 2023, and with extensive experience from maritime industries, serving as Project Lead for developing, building, commissioning and set to sail the world's first LH₂ powered vessel, the ferry MF Hydra (Norled AS). LH2 Shipping is committed to pioneering practical, scalable, and proven green technologies that enable cargo- and shipowners meet tomorrow’s emission requirements today.
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LH2 Shipping is Project Owner and Project Lead for the STRANDBULK Project.
LH2 Shipping will develop, build and commission 2 pcs. 7700 dwt bulk carriers for short sea shipping with the carriage of bulk/general cargo mainly between Norway and the Continent/Baltic.
Norwegian port calls with loading constitute 50% of the total, where approx. 65% of the sailing time is in Norwegian waters. The ships will use liquid hydrogen (LH₂) as the main fuel source and be able to operate 100% emission-free all year round. Bunkering of LH₂ is planned with deliveries from Gen2 Energy in Mosjøen, where the ships will stop for bunkering.
The ships will have a length of 108.2m and a width of 18.1m. The onboard hydrogen systems will consist of a 17 tonne LH2 storage tank and 3400kW of PEM fuel cells. A 3 MWh battery pack will be installed to support the fuel cells, as well as to be able to operate the ship in port alone. The ships will be arranged to use shore power where this is available for loading and unloading operations. A standby diesel generator pack will also be installed, where the ships can sail on diesel/biodiesel if the LH₂ supply fails, or is not in place in time when the ships are delivered from the shipyard.
The ships will be designed with an efficient hull, propulsion and energy system solution that will have a minimum of 30% lower energy consumption compared to current ships in the same segment. Other energy-saving technologies are included in the design with regard to propulsion, structural weight and an efficient energy management system. Solar panels will be installed on the cargo hatches, with 2% annual energy savings.
LH₂ operation has been demonstrated to be a safe and robust operation with the pilot project MF Hydra. The cargo ships scale this technology to short sea shipping operations, and will, in addition to efficient operation, eliminate CO₂ emissions in shipping, which both meets future CO₂ emission requirements within shipping and provides added value for cargo owners in relation to the requirements that will come for their Scope 3 reporting. With expected increases in CO₂ emissions charges, the EU ETS, together with the FuelEU Maritime scheme, is expected to minimise the cost gap between traditional and alternative fuels. The value of zero-emission vessels, and their operation, is expected to increase significantly, especially after 2030.