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

Feadship Project 821 has completed sea trials in the North Sea, utilizing green hydrogen to power its hotel load and amenities emission-free, producing only electricity and water as by-products.

The world's first-ever hydrogen fuel-cell superyacht, Feadship Project 821 has completed its inaugural sea trials in the North Sea.

Designed by RWD, the innovative new superyacht measures 118.8m and boasts 7,247 GT of internal space, making it Feadship's largest build to date and the largest superyacht to ever be launched in the Netherlands. Utilizing green hydrogen, Project 821 operates its hotel load and amenities emission-free, powered by a fuel that produces only electricity and water as by-products.

A stern view of the Feadship Project 821 on sea trials
© Feadship

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.

A bow shot of Feadship Project 821 on sea trials
© Feadship

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.

A stern view of Project 821 at sea
© Feadship

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.

Feadship Project 821 is set to rank #28 in the YachtBuyer YB100 — the true measure of the world's largest yachts — positioned between Lurssen's GOLDEN ODYSSEY and Freire Shipyard's RENAISSANCE

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