ZEUS: The first zero emission ultimate ship in the world By Alessandro Maccari, R&D Director Marine, RINA the Italian Ministry for Economic Development as part of the National Operational Plan. Several Fincantieri Group shipyards and subsidiaries are involved in the project, while CNR (National Research Council of Italy), the Universities of Genoa, Palermo, and Naples, the ENR (National Institution of Italy for Standardization Research and Promotion), and RINA acts as the project’s consultants.
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mong the possible technologies to decarbonize maritime traffic, carbon-free fuels and fuel cells are considered among the most promising solutions, also offering the advantages of absence of moving mechanical parts and low noise emissions.
ZEUS (Zero Emission Ultimate Ship) is an experimental fuel cell-powered marine vessel being built in Fincantieri shipyard in Castellammare di Stabia. The vessel, first of its kind in the world, is to be delivered in 2022. The vessel is designed and built as part of the project Low Environmental Impact Technologies - TECBIA led by Fincantieri S.p.A., co-funded by
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ZEUS is designed to be a floating laboratory to investigate and test the sustainability of fuel cells in full scale. The vessel is 25 metres long, weighing approximiately 170 tonnes, fitted with a diesel-electric power generation system (two diesel generators and two electric motors). The innovative element is the hybrid configuration, with a 130-kW fuel cell system, powered by approximately 50 kilograms of hydrogen contained in metal hydride (MH) cylinders - a technology already applied on submarines - supplemented by a battery system needed to have a stable load of energy. The propulsion system works in different configurations: • Using only lithium batteries for a zero-noise navigation range of four hours at four knots per hour;
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• Electric power supplied by PEM fuel cells which can guarantee a zero-
