The Ocean-H2 (Offshore Clean Hydrogen Production for Multi-use Purposes) project was launched in September. This SBEP (Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership) project aims to assess the long-term feasibility of large-scale sustainable green hydrogen production using offshore renewable energy (ORE). The project aims to contribute to the decarbonization of various sectors and the achievement of a clean energy future.

Coordinated by the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Malta, the project is supported by the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Naples Federico II, the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE), Fraunhofer ISIT (Germany), and CNRS FEMTO-ST (France).

The project's primary objective is to identify the most effective technical solution for the large-scale production of green hydrogen in the European Union's seas. To this end, the project will analyze three marine basins - the Mediterranean, North Sea, and Baltic Sea - as case studies for the implementation of offshore microgrids powered by medium-voltage direct current (MVDC), evaluating configurations, performance, and scalability. The project's second objective is the optimal integration of offshore plants with existing EU electricity grids. The partners intend to develop connection models that take into account the specific infrastructure and renewable resources available in each basin, fostering synergy between decentralized generation and continental distribution.

Finally, the project aims to outline realistic cost scenarios, identifying efficiency levers and investment opportunities in the three selected marine contexts, addressing the social dimension and potential conflicts of interest related to system acceptability. The partners are thus committed to exploring socio-technical approaches for dispute management, stakeholder engagement, and participatory consensus-building around the proposed solutions.

The LÖST project documented and analysed the practical sub-exercises conducted as part of Total Defence Exercise DSM 2025. Through onboard and simulator observations, interviews and surveys, the project identified key lessons from the planning, execution and evaluation of the exercise.

The study found that the exercise strengthened cooperation between civilian and military stakeholders and improved understanding of roles, responsibilities and decision-making processes during heightened preparedness. The findings also highlight the importance of realistic scenarios, effective time management and structured debriefing in developing operational capability.

The project identified opportunities for improving future exercises, including greater realism, increased uncertainty within exercise scenarios, and a stronger focus on operational training for masters and bridge teams. The lessons learned can support the continued development of the shipping sector's total defence capabilities and provide guidance for other sectors planning similar preparedness exercises.

The project was carried out by RISE in collaboration with the University of Gothenburg and funded by Lighthouse.

The project will be carried out by a consortium coordinated by the Institute of Marine Research (Norway) and formed by several partners from Norway, Chile and Sweden. A key aspect of this project is its focus on the world’s two largest farmed salmon producers, Norway and Chile.

Norway and Chile account for 70 per cent of salmon production. However, there is a significant disparity: while Norway employs relatively few antibiotics due to the reduced prevalence of bacterial diseases through alternative strategies, such as the use of vaccines, Chile utilises over 300 tonnes of these compounds annually for disease prevention and control. Adopting a One Health approach, this multidisciplinary research project will evaluate the effects of antibiotic use in Chilean and Norwegian aquaculture on the emergence, selection and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in marine environments. The project will also address the impact of biocide use, which is high in both countries, and will propose possible solutions to reduce the use of these chemicals in aquaculture.

The global transition to fossil-free energy sources has led to a rapid expansion of offshore wind power. The maintenance of wind power facilities requires specialised vessels, known as Service Operation Vessels (SOVs), which are often in operation for long periods at sea. At the same time, the shipping sector faces an urgent need to reduce its emissions in line with the EU Green Deal, the Paris Agreement and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) climate strategy.

Liquid hydrogen – a zero-emission fuel

Liquid hydrogen is a promising fuel alternative due to its high energy density and the fact that when used, it produces only water as an emission – no carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, or particles. This makes LH₂ particularly interesting for maritime use, where achieving emission reductions is challenging with traditional solutions.

NAVHYS develops hydrogen systems for ships

The aim of NAVHYS is to develop an integrated system for the storage and use of liquid hydrogen in a maritime environment. Since LH₂ must be stored at -253°C, high demands are placed on insulation, safety and operation. The project brings together expertise from several sectors to develop a solution that is safe, energy-efficient, and easily integrated into future ship designs.

The goal – a new generation of emission-free ships

The overall goal is to demonstrate a complete LH₂ system on ships. This solution can then form the basis for a new generation of emission-free vessels in the offshore sector.

NAVHYS contributes to important climate goals

By replacing fossil fuels with LH₂ in service vessels, NAVHYS can contribute to:

•    The EU's climate neutrality goal for 2050
•    The IMO's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from shipping
•    The sustainable expansion of renewable energy at sea
•    The development of hydrogen technology as a key component in the energy systems of the future

Gathering expertise from multiple sectors

A broad consortium of actors from the fields of ship design, operations, energy, safety and research is implementing NAVHYS. Together, we are developing a solution that can pave the way for a climate-neutral maritime sector.

Project timeline and funding

NAVHYS will run for 36 months and covers design, analysis, testing and dissemination. The project is funded by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and the European Union, which supports research and innovation in hydrogen technology.

NAVHYS Project partners

The project is being run in collaboration between:

• ArianeGroup – coordinator and responsible for designing the system architecture and testing the solution
• Benkei – project management and coordination
• Bureau Veritas – technical review and approval
• ENGIE – design of the supply chain and bunkering station
• ERIG – communication and dissemination of the project
• Gas and Heat – design of LH₂ tank
• INERIS – leads hazard identification
• LEITAT – life cycle evaluation and NAVHYS solution assessment
• MCN – maritime network (associated partner)
• North Star – defines operating scenarios and confirms operability
• RISE – safety analysis, hydrogen hazard and HAZID analysis
• University of Birmingham – upscaling and cost analysis
• VARD – design and construction of the SOV vessel

What does NAVHYS mean?

The project name, NAVHYS, is inspired by the Latin words navis (ship) and vis (power), combined with the first letters of hydrogen. Together, NAVHYS conveys the idea of ‘hydrogen power for shipping’.

Want to know more about NAVHYS?

Feel free to contact Jonatan Gehandler or Roshni Pramanik if you have any questions or would like to learn more. Please follow NAVHYS on LinkedIn for updates on the project.

Circular Ports is financed by Interreg Baltic Sea Region (BSR). The project identifies that port environments in the BSR lack comprehensive overviews of their waste- and material flows, as well as the tools needed to find economically sustainable synergies related to circular economy (CE). Reasons for this can be scattered stakeholders and unclear responsibilities in the port and surrounding businesses, hindering the up scaling of circular activities. Circular Ports aims to lift synergies related to CE and to develop transferable solutions for implementing CE in ports in the BSR. These solutions will be presented in a toolbox, including methodologies for data collection and waste flow mapping, functional stakeholder platforms to identify symbiosis between organisations, business models based on CE strategies, and procurement guidelines. 

The use of lightweight materials is limited due to safety requirements in current regulations, which have not been developed for this type of vessel but rather for larger ocean-going ships. More appropriate regulations could result in lower costs and increased safety for crew, passengers, and cargo on board.

The purpose of the Bmob project is to leverage existing knowledge and regulations in this area to develop improved guidelines for the small vessel segment, with the aim of promoting safer and more sustainable transport of goods and passengers, as well as enhanced safety for seafarers on board.

The project held an open kick-off meeting with industry and authorities in the autum 2025. A reference group meeting has since been held and the project group within RISE is working during the first half of 2026 on a literature study and to clearly define the framework for the project. This also includes collecting information, for example through interviews with authorities, operators and industry.

Project goals:

1. Conduct a literature review to synthesize the current state of the art in Sweden, incorporating relevant scientific knowledge and advancements in the field.
2. Perform a comparative analysis of pertinent regulations, guidelines, and standards in Sweden, contrasting them with those of at least one other Nordic country.
3. Conduct at least one series of fire tests using small-scale test specimens composed of atleast two various relevant lightweight construction materials.
4. Formulate concrete proposals for requirement levels and assessment criteria for lightweight and smaller vessels within the context of Swedish national traffic regulations.

The development of the “sustainable port” will be studied based on the new conditions that prevail in our world. Extreme weather events affect ports by causing damage to port infrastructure, port closures, increased risk and frequency of shipping incidents and coastal erosion. Stakeholders have high expectations for ports following Sweden's NATO membership and new requirements for total defense. 

In ports' strategies towards increased sustainability, it will be crucial in the future to understand what other external factors potentially affect operations. The aim is to identify both opportunities and challenges to ensure an efficient and sustainable port.

Participating ports in the project can network internationally through the Green Supply Chains project. “Green Supply Chains” is an Interreg project within the North Sea Region and is run by Hamburg Port Marketing. Five ports are involved: Port of Hamburg, Skagen Port, North Sea Port, Port de Brest and Waalvijk Haven. Kristinehamn Municipality and RISE are the Swedish project partners.