Cochin Shipyard to Construct eCap Marine’s Hydrogen-Fuelled SeaShuttles for Samskip

German engineering firm eCap Marine has secured two major contracts to supply hydrogen-based propulsion systems for next-generation zero-emission vessels. The agreements include power solutions for bulk carriers being developed by Norway’s Møre Sjø and short-sea container vessels commissioned by logistics provider Samskip.

The announcement followed the company’s successful participation at Nor-Shipping 2025, a major maritime trade fair held in Oslo. eCap Marine drew considerable interest from the industry for its hydrogen propulsion technology and shore power systems designed to support decarbonisation in shipping.

Cochin Shipyard, India to Build Hydrogen-Powered SeaShuttles

A significant highlight is eCap Marine’s partnership with Samskip, which involves the construction of two hydrogen-powered short-sea container vessels at Cochin Shipyard in India. Once completed, these vessels—dubbed SeaShuttles—are expected to become the world’s first short-sea container ships to run entirely on green hydrogen.

For the SeaShuttles, eCap Marine will supply 3.2 MW PEM hydrogen fuel cells, accompanied by marine-certified power electronics, control and safety systems, and fully integrated containerised modules to be mounted on the aft deck. The vessels are slated for delivery in 2027.

This marks another milestone for eCap Marine, which had previously retrofitted the offshore support vessel Coastal Liberty with hydrogen propulsion—a rare achievement in the commercial shipping sector.

Hydrogen Bulk Carriers for Norwegian Operator Møre Sjø

In a parallel development, Norwegian company Møre Sjø has commissioned two hydrogen-fuelled bulk carriers to be built at the Gelibolu Shipyard in Türkiye. Designed to operate in Norwegian coastal waters, the 85-metre-long vessels will have a carrying capacity of 4,000 deadweight tons and are expected to enter service in 2027.

eCap Marine will provide a 1.7 MW PEM fuel cell system for each vessel, alongside compressed hydrogen tanks capable of storing over two tons of fuel per ship. The tanks will be installed on the aft section, while associated electrical systems will be located below deck. The package includes a dedicated hydrogen bunkering station and fully integrated interfaces for vessel power management.

Commitment to Hydrogen Technology
Lars Ravens, Managing Director at eCap Marine, said the contracts represent a major step forward for the company and for the maritime industry’s shift toward renewable energy. “These projects demonstrate how scalable hydrogen solutions can drive real change in maritime operations,” he said.