sHYpS: from on-land testing to hydrogen-powered cruising
27/10/2026
First footage from the sHYpS on-land test campaign: the prototype liquid hydrogen (LH2) storage system designed to go on board Viking Libra, with the ambition of enabling the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship. sHYpS (sustainable HYdrogen powered Shipping) is a Horizon Europe project developing a swappable LH2 storage solution, based on a 45-foot ISO container, that feeds a PEM fuel cell powertrain on board a Viking Ocean cruise ship. Before going to sea, the storage system went through a complete ground-test campaign at CENERGY’s new dedicated facility in Staranzano (GO), near Trieste, Italy, completed in July 2026 with 800 kg of liquid hydrogen.
HOW THE TESTS WERE CARRIED OUT
The campaign was built up in stages, each one verifying the system before moving to the next level of operation: 1. Liquid nitrogen commissioning: equipment, valves and sensors were checked in a controlled, lower-risk environment. 2. Hydrogen preparation: the tank was conditioned with gaseous hydrogen and then filled with liquid hydrogen. 3. Performance testing: with LH2 on board, the team assessed the thermal insulation of the cryogenic tank and reproduced shipboard operation at scaled capacity, simulating fuel cell operation profiles.
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