An effort is underway to leverage the cutting-edge technology for hydrogen-fueled vessels to develop the first RoPax vehicle ferry in the U.S. to be fueled by liquid hydrogen. SWITCH Maritime, the U.S. shipowner that launched the first hydrogen-powered ferry in the U.S. is in collaboration with LH2 Shipping and LMG Marin in Norway to commence construction in the U.S. of a hydrogen-fueled RoPax ferry.
SWITCH’s first hydrogen-powered vessel, the Sea Change, is a 75-passenger catamaran ferry featuring 600 kW of electric motor propulsion, powered by 360 kW of fuel cells with 246 kilograms of gaseous H2 (GH2) storage at 250 bar pressure. The Sea Change started public passenger service as part of the San Francisco Bay Ferry system in July 2024, after receiving its final Certificate of Inspection (COI) from the U.S. Coast Guard in May 2024.
“With rigorous planning, state-of-the-art engineering, and support from leading…
