Bureau Veritas joins the NAVHYS project

Image: Vard

Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) is to participate in NAVHYS, the European research project dedicated to advancing the use of liquid hydrogen (LH2) in maritime applications. Funded by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, NAVHYs was launched by the Ariane Group, building on its experience of using liquid hydrogen as a fuel for Ariane rockets.

As we reported earlier, (see story) NAVHYS aims to develop innovative solutions for storing and using liquid hydrogen (LH2) as an energy carrier for maritime transport, with the initial focus on hydrogen fueled SOVs.

Working closely with ArianeGroup, BV has played a key role in developing the project proposal and consortium structure and contributed its expertise in safety, rule development, and classification to support innovation in hydrogen-fuelled vessels. In particular, NavHyS focuses on one of the most technically ambitious aspects of hydrogen deployment at sea: the use of below-deck Type C LH2 tanks as marine fuel for service operation vessels (SOVs).

The design envisions storage tanks of 200-300 cubic meters, capable of carrying 12-18 tonnes of liquid hydrogen, bunkered at 10 tonnes/hour, and providing up to 10 days of autonomous operation.

As part of this effort, BV will deliver three Approvals in Principle (AiPs) through its Design Assessment activities, covering the liquid hydrogen storage system, fuel system, and their integration into an SOV. In addition to classification and AiPs, BV will further lead safety research and rule development specific to liquid hydrogen in maritime environments. The project will also examine shore-based hydrogen supply solutions and the lifecycle of hydrogen-fueled vessels.

NAVHYS officially launched in January 2025, and will run for 36 months, with an EU contribution of EUR 5 million. The project is expected to reach Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 8-9 by 2030, enabling scalable, real-world deployment by 2035-2040.

Matthieu de Tugny, president of Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, said: “BV is proud to support the NavHyS project and contribute to overcoming the technical and safety challenges linked to liquid hydrogen deployment in shipping. Our involvement in this innovative consortium reflects our commitment to supporting advanced technologies that accelerate maritime decarbonization, helping to shape a safe, scalable future for hydrogen-powered vessels.”

Nicolas Hardouin, program manager at ArianeGroup, said: “The design of the liquid hydrogen fuel system, relying on our heritage of space system architectures and technologies, and its below-deck integration in the ship, represent a disruptive innovation in comparison with previous maritime projects and design guidelines.”