Hydrogen, electric-powered tanker was floated in Lithuania in a innovative project for port services

 Lithuania is preparing to join the elite ranks of the shipping industry with the launch of a pioneering hydrogen, electric-powered vessel that will provide harbor services. The ship which was recently floated fat the West Baltic Shipyard is among the first to adopt hydrogen technology and will be deployed for the Klaipeda State Seaport Authority in partnership with Baltic Workboats.

This shipbuilding project with a total value of €12 million (US$12.5 million) was commissioned last year by the Port Authority for a tanker that will be 42 meters (138 feet) long. It becomes the first green hydrogen, electric-powered ship in Lithuania and one of only a few in the world.

The ship's power system will consist of two electric motors powered by 2,000 kWh batteries and an innovative hydrogen fuel cell system. Depending on the intensity of the work, the port authority reports the tanker will be able to operate in the port of Klaipeda for up to 36 hours without additional power charging.

"We have not only launched a tanker, but also a new approach to port operations – cleaner, smarter, and more environmentally friendly,” said Algis Latakas, Director General of Klaipeda State Seaport Authority. “This first-ever hydrogen and electricity-powered ship is not only an innovative technological solution but also an important step in strengthening Lithuania's image as a modern maritime nation.”

The tanker's main function will be to collect stormwater, sewage, sludge, and garbage, as well as to ensure efficient waste management. The ship will be equipped with special tanks and a modern rainwater treatment plant that will allow the treated water to be transferred to the city's sewage treatment plants. The tanker will be ready to work around the clock and collect up to 400 cubic meters of liquid waste.

According to the current rules, vessels are obliged to hand over the waste they produce when they arrive and before they leave Klaipeda Port. In June 2024, a symbolic keel-laying ceremony at the West Baltic Shipyard of the West Baltic Shipyard Group marked the start of the ship's construction. The vessel is due to enter service before the end of 2025.

The hull has been fabricated and painted, with piping, valves, coolers, shaft lines, rudder feathers, heat and fire insulation installed. Once the tanker was moved into the water, the engine room equipment will be installed, the interior of the wheelhouse will be outfitted, the electrical wiring and the main electrical engines will be installed, the hydrogen system will be installed and other work necessary for the operation of the ship will be carried out.

The Seaport Authority was charged with collecting waste from incoming ships, and the company decided to use modern and environmentally friendly equipment to further improve the quality of the ship's waste collection service.