The company that will build the world’s first ship powered by a solid form of hydrogen has been announced. The Neo Orbis, which will use hydrogen obtained from sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as fuel, will be built by Netherlands-based company Next Generation Shipyards.
To be tested on Amsterdam canals in 2023
Neo Orbis, which will be developed within the scope of the H2Ships project, which aims to develop an infrastructure for hydrogen-powered maritime transport, will have a length of 20 meters. It is stated that the fact that the ship will use a new solid form of hydrogen as fuel is much safer and easier to store than compressed or liquid hydrogen.
Sodium borohydride will be mixed with pure water and a stabilizer to create a non-flammable liquid fuel. A catalyst will also be used to accelerate the release of hydrogen from dissolved sodium borohydride. The free hydrogen will then power a fuel cell.
A floating solar park will be placed in the North Sea
In the long term, it is planned to create a closed system where the remaining materials will be converted back into sodium borohydride fuel. Neo Orbis, designed to work on the canals of Amsterdam and the sea area between Amsterdam and the city of Ijmuiden, will begin testing next year, according to plans.
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