Converting ships from diesel technology to hydrogen

ERIKS customer Holland Shipyards has both construction and repair yards for boats. It prioritises sustainability and takes an innovative approach to reducing its environmental impact.

Holland Shipyards works hand-in-hand with ambitious partners such as Future Proof Shipping, which was founded to demonstrate that the zero-emission transportation of goods and containers is possible. Holland Shipyards moved away from traditional dieselpowered ships years ago and now focuses on electric propulsion.

In 2023, Future Proof Shipping approached Holland Shipyards with a challenge: converting two of its diesel-powered ships – the H2BARGE1 and Future Proof Shop de Waal – to run on hydrogen instead. Holland Shipyards’ experience converting in-land ships allowed it to quickly get started, but progress was slow due to difficulty sourcing the right equipment and components. It struggled to find an expert supplier who could advise and guide – until it approached ERIKS. 

We were able to source most of the necessary components through our broad network of suppliers and arrange for others to be custom-made. Teun Blik, who managed this project for ERIKS, explains, “We like to join projects like Holland Shipyards quickly and early. We have a very wide range of suppliers behind us and the ability to develop and manufacture custom components where needed, which can make a huge difference to ambitious projects like this.”

He continues, “There are multiple energy carriers besides hydrogen with huge transportation potential, like methanol or ammonia. Specialist components are needed to make this possible and a supply partner with the relevant knowledge to select – and sometimes sub-assemble – these components is vital.” Click here for a behind-the-scenes look at this exciting maritime project.