Tata Steel join hands with Van Dam for developing hydrogen-powered vessel

Tata Steel has teamed up with Van Dam Shipping to develop a hydrogen-powered vessel and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the shipping of steel coils.

The vessel to be developed and go on a long-term contract with the steel giant will be a short-sea vessel with a loading capacity of around 5,000 tons and will reportedly be the first of this type.

Tata Steel ships 2m tons of steel coils to different countries within Europe every year.

The aim is that from 2024, the hydrogen-powered ship can sail 100% CO2 emission-free and save about 3,000 tons of CO2 per year compared to a ship that sails on gas oil and fuel oil.

Tata Steel joined forces with Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) to develop and deploy an environmentally friendly carrier of raw materials for steel production earlier this year.

The company also became the first steel producing signatory of the Sea Cargo Charter, a global framework for assessing and disclosing the climate alignment of chartering activities.

Hydrogen-powered shipping currently consists primarily of inland vessels and small ferries, both hybrid, partially powered by hydrogen, and entirely powered by hydrogen.