Can Hydrogen Power the Next Era of European Shipping?

HDF Energy and ABB advance hydrogen fuel cells toward commercial readiness, marking a key development milestone for Europe’s future clean shipping market

22 Dec 2025

Europe’s hydrogen fuel cell industry is moving out of the lab and toward the water. After years of pilot projects and cautious trials, maritime shipping is emerging as a serious test case for whether the technology can scale.

A collaboration between HDF Energy and ABB sits at the center of that shift. The two companies are developing high-power hydrogen fuel cell systems for commercial vessels, with an eye on market readiness around 2030. It is a long runway, but the tone has changed. This is no longer about proving a concept. It is about making it work at sea.

Shipping faces growing pressure to clean up its act. The sector produces roughly 3 percent of global carbon emissions, and regulators are tightening standards without offering easy answers. Operators still need reliability, range, and predictable costs. Cutting emissions cannot come at the expense of staying afloat financially.

Hydrogen fuel cells are gaining attention because they promise steady power without the range limits of batteries. As long as hydrogen is available, fuel cells can keep running. By targeting multi-megawatt systems, HDF Energy and ABB are focusing on the scale required for large vessels. Early use is likely to be auxiliary power, with propulsion a longer-term possibility.

Equally important is what the project does not try to do. The partners aim to fit fuel cell systems into existing ship designs, avoiding costly redesigns. That practical mindset matters to shipowners making investment decisions under uncertain regulatory timelines.

This maritime push mirrors a wider European trend. Hydrogen projects across the region are shifting from research to early commercial phases, helped by public funding and clearer policy signals. Industry groups say coordinated strategies are lowering risk and speeding progress.

Obstacles remain. Port infrastructure for hydrogen is sparse, and fuel costs are still high. Initial deployments are expected to be limited, with pilot vessels likely appearing in the late 2020s.

Still, the direction is clear. Hydrogen fuel cells are no longer a distant idea for shipping. Europe’s path to cleaner seas may be slow, but it is starting to take shape.