PowerCell secures new order for hydrogen-electric bulk carriers
PowerCell Group has secured a follow-up order from GMI Group AS for fuel cell systems and engineering services for two additional hydrogen-electric bulk carriers, expanding the companies’ collaboration to four vessels.
The contract is valued at SEK 27 million and covers ten Marine System 225 fuel cell units, providing a combined power output of more than 2 MW.
Deliveries under the new agreement are scheduled for 2027 and 2028, supporting GMI Group’s development of bulk carriers designed to generate onboard electricity using compressed renewable hydrogen.
The latest order follows an initial agreement signed in September 2025 for two vessels.
Four bulk carriers to use PowerCell fuel cell technology
With the addition of the two new vessels, PowerCell’s involvement in the project will extend to four hydrogen-electric bulk carriers.
Across the four ships, the company is contracted to supply 24 Marine System 225 units, representing a combined installed fuel cell capacity of 5.4 MW.
The first two vessels are designed with a length of 85 metres and a deadweight capacity of 4,000 tonnes each.
Their launch is planned for 2027, and they are expected to become the world’s first hydrogen-electric bulk carriers, according to PowerCell.
The two additional vessels will each have a deadweight capacity of 3,000 tonnes and are scheduled to be constructed at Chowgule Shipyard.
Each will be equipped with five Marine System 225 fuel cell units.
The project uses compressed renewable hydrogen to generate electricity onboard through fuel cells, forming the basis of the vessels’ hydrogen-electric propulsion concept.
PowerCell and eCap Marine share project responsibilities
PowerCell will supply the fuel cell systems and provide engineering support within its contractual scope.
Meanwhile, eCap Marine will be responsible for vessel-level integration and certification of the hydrogen and propulsion systems.
The additional vessels will use the same fuel cell platform selected for the first two ships.
According to PowerCell, this approach allows engineering, certification and integration experience gained during the initial project to be applied to subsequent vessel deliveries.
The hydrogen-electric bulk carrier concept has received support from Norway’s Enova fund and the NOx Fund.
It also forms part of the Green Shipping Program, an initiative involving the development of maritime solutions aimed at reducing emissions.
GMI Group expands hydrogen-electric vessel programme
The follow-up order represents an expansion of GMI Group’s vessel development programme from two to four bulk carriers.
Torstein Holsvik, Chief Executive Officer of GMI Group AS, said the decision reflects the company’s confidence in the technology and cooperation established during the initial project.
“The decision to add two vessels reflects our confidence in the solution and in the cooperation established through the first project,” Holsvik said.
Richard Berkling, Chief Executive Officer of PowerCell Group, highlighted the company’s approach to supplying standardized fuel cell systems across multiple vessels.
“Scaling from two vessels to four demonstrates the value of our business model,” Berkling said.
The company considers the use of a common fuel cell platform across the four vessels an important element of its approach to marine fuel cell installations.
The two additional bulk carriers remain scheduled for future construction and delivery, while the first pair is planned for launch in 2027.
