World’s First Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Superyacht Feadship Project 821 Completes Sea Trials

The construction of this groundbreaking motor yacht began in 2019, and one of the key challenges Feadship faced was safely storing compressed liquid hydrogen at -253°C below deck. The builder's solution involved a double-walled cryogenic storage tank, accommodating the hydrogen's lighter weight yet larger volume compared to traditional fuel options. This requirement, along with the installation of cryogenic fuel tanks, 16 compact fuel cells, and necessary connections, added 4m (13ft) to the yacht's length.

Despite its limited capacity for long voyages, Project 821's fuel cell technology significantly curtails carbon emissions by powering the yacht's hotel load — integral to its energy consumption. The yacht can cruise emission-free for a short period or operate silently at anchor for up to a week, thanks to its 543kWh energy storage capacity. This feature, combined with a waste heat recovery system and smart AC systems, ensures efficient and sustainable operation.

For propulsion, Project 821 is equipped with a pair of ABB Azipod DO 1100 Pods, two 900kW MTU generators, two 2,500kW MTU generators, and 16 185kW PowerCell H2 generators, enabling a range of 6,500nm at 14 knots.