Lloyd's Register of Shipping has published the world's first "hydrogen as a fuel" maritime code

Lloyd's Register (LR) has published the world's first "hydrogen as a fuel" maritime regulation. The rules have been compiled into a 32-page "LR3" and published as an addendum to the LR Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships Using Gases or Other Low Flash Point Fuels, and will be integrated into the Regs4ships Digital Compliance Solution on July 3, 2023.

LR Chief expert Liam Blackmore spent six months writing the regulations, which set out both general and specific requirements for ships using hydrogen as fuel. The rules fill in the missing section of the IMO's International Safety Guidelines for Ships Using Gas or Other Low Flash Point Fuels (IGF Guidelines), "Safety Guidelines for Ships using Hydrogen as fuel."

The appendix LR3 is designed to align with the recently released appendices LR1(which deals with ships using methanol or ethanol) and LR2(which deals with ammonia as a fuel), and with this, ship designers have a clear performance standard when building ships that rely on hydrogen fuel. Blackmore explained that the hydrogen appendix allows designers to understand the performance standards that fuel cells must meet to ensure that ships operate safely and reliably with liquefied or gaseous hydrogen fuel. 

Rule applicability

The appendix describes several basic safety requirements for hydrogen, using a refueling station as an example of the specific requirements for LNG refueling. The new appendix states that "the refueling station shall be located on an open deck with minimal congestion and an unobstructed dispersal path in the event of a reasonably foreseeable leak." In addition, the new appendix also requires a comprehensive demonstration of each environmental factor and disposal factor of the leak situation to analyze the cause of the explosion.

LR has many years of experience in classifying hydrogen fuel cell vessels, and in 2017, LR rated its first hydrogen fuel vessel, using a risk-based approval approach since there were no definitive rules at the time. The vessel, a non-Solas catamaran crewed Hydroville, is owned by Belgium's CMB, the same operator that operated the first hydrogen-fueled tugboat, the LR Class Hydrogg, which entered service in Ostend last year.

LR's new rules apply equally to both ships. The two hydrogen-fueled ferries are set to enter service in 2025 on Norway's longest ferry route, operated by Torghatten Nord. LR granted them approval in principle (AIP) last year, also using a risk-based assessment. 

Set of requirements

This latest set of rule appendices complements LR guidance issued over the past 18 months on methanol and ethanol (January 2022), ammonia (July 2022) and so-called "drip" liquid biofuels (January 2023). Each of the three appendices provides a way to address fuel-related hazards simultaneously.

For ammonia, methanol, hydrogen and fuel cells, LR has set up working groups to coordinate and maintain policies related to design, manufacturing and construction standards, plus establish the ability to survey policies and develop LR staff to ensure that policies related to various fuels are applied consistently throughout the life of ships and LR's global network.

"This is a long-term commitment and the rules will be iterated over the next few decades to ensure they reflect the latest industry conditions," Blackmore said.