Manuela Guiducci, Author at sHYpS Project

Hamburg, 10–12 September 2025 – The sHYpS Project took centre stage at SeaTrade Europe 2025, the leading meeting point for the cruise and maritime community, where industry stakeholders came together to explore the biggest shifts shaping the future of maritime transport – from decarbonisation and smart ship design to evolving guest experiences, port innovation, and community engagement.

In Hall A4 | Stand 634, sHYpS Project partners Navalprogetti Srl, PNO Innovation Italia, and Università degli Studi di Trieste – represented by Pierluigi Busetto, Filippo Rezzante, Manuela Guiducci, and Rodolfo Taccani – presented the project’s breakthrough: a modular, swappable LH₂ storage solution, adaptable to a wide range of vessel types. This innovation is designed to accelerate the shipping industry’s transition towards IMO’s 2030 and 2050 climate targets.

On Wednesday, 10 September, Pierluigi Busetto (Navalprogetti Srl) represented sHYpS in the expert panel “Ships of the Future: Designing for Sustainability and Resilience.” The session tackled key challenges facing the cruise industry, including fuel availability, infrastructure readiness, lifecycle adaptability, digital innovation, crew qualifications, and the balance between alternative propulsion and passenger comfort. Pierluigi shared how the sHYpS Project is addressing these challenges through its LH₂ swappable storage system – a scalable and future-proof solution that enables ships to transition to clean propulsion technologies throughout their operating life. He also emphasised the importance of cross-sector collaboration to bridge existing infrastructure gaps and support wider adoption. In a closing round imagining SeaTrade Europe 2037, Pierluigi stressed the role of EU-funded innovation in driving a maritime future rooted in flexibility, integration, and long-term impact.

On Thursday, 11 September, sHYpS hosted a joint session at its booth, bringing together three other leading EU-funded initiatives:

SEAMLESS Project (HEU)
GREEN MARINE MED (EMFAF)
TransH2 Project (INTERREG ITA-CRO)

The event featured:

Irene Lavagnini (Navalprogetti Srl), presenting the sHYpS concept and showcasing the 3D model and project video
Manuela Guiducci (PNO Innovation Italia), presenting SEAMLESS through a dedicated video on integrated maritime logistics
Carlo Kraskovic, presenting GREEN MARINE MED and TransH2 and their contributions to greener systems in the Mediterranean and Adriatic regions

The session concluded with a lively exchange focused on building synergies across projects – to align efforts, promote cross-fertilisation, reduce duplication, share infrastructures, and boost market uptake of innovative solutions. This collaborative moment highlighted a shared commitment to working together across project boundaries, with a clear ambition to open up new opportunities for future partnerships and a more connected, sustainable maritime innovation ecosystem.

sHYpS is proud to be at the forefront of this movement, actively contributing to a more sustainable, resilient, and future-ready maritime industry.

We are excited to announce that on Thursday, September 11th at 10:30, the sHYpS project will host a joint session at its booth during SeaTrade Hamburg, bringing together four leading EU-funded projects committed to shaping the future of sustainable maritime transport:

Hall A4 | Stand 634

Agenda Highlights:

sHYpS (HEU) – Project overview, video, and an exclusive 3D model showcase
SEAMLESS (HEU) – Video presentation
GREEN MARINE MED (EMFAF) – Project presentation
TRANSH2 (INTERREG ITA-CRO) – Project presentation
A joint discussion on synergies to foster alignment, cross-fertilization, cost-efficiency, and market uptake across initiatives

This session represents a unique opportunity to witness how European projects are working together to accelerate maritime decarbonisation and innovation.

Join us and be part of the change!

sHYpS will be presented at the Sea Trade Europe 2025, which will take place on 10 – 12 September 2025 in Hamburg.

This year’s programme explores how cruise lines, ports, destinations, regulators, and suppliers are responding to new imperatives — from decarbonisation and smart ship design to evolving guest expectations, community engagement, and shoreside innovation across destination immersion, port operations, and infrastructure.

Represented by Navalprogetti, PNO, and Università di Trieste, sHYpS will be connecting with the community and stakeholders in Hall A4 Stand-No. 634 to present how it is supporting the decarbonisation of the shipping industry by developing a novel LH2 swappable storage solution, which can be adapted to multiple types of vessels and speed up achieving IMO’s target for 2030 and 2050.

In addition, Pierluigi Busetto – sHYpS coordinator from Navalprogetti – will be presenting the project by joining the panel “Ships of the Future: Designing for Sustainability and Resilience”, scheduled for Wednesday 10^th September, at 16.20 in Conference Room Chicago. This session delves into how the latest ship designs are purpose-built for a net zero future.

Come join us in Hamburg!

On June 24th, 2025, the sHYpS Consortium convened in Děčín, Czech Republic, for the fourth annual General Assembly of the sHYpS Project. The event was graciously hosted and organized by our partner, Chart Industries, Inc., and brought together all project partners to assess the progress of both technical and administrative activities.

Throughout the day, Work Package Leaders presented the current status of their activities, offering a structured and comprehensive review of the project’s evolution. This collaborative exchange reinforced team alignment and helped chart the path forward for upcoming milestones aimed at advancing a more sustainable maritime sector.

A highlight of the General Assembly was the guided visit to the Chart Ferox production facilities, where participants had the opportunity to see the TCS/FPR (Tank Conditioning System / Fuel Processing and Regulation) system firsthand. This site visit provided valuable insights into the real-world application of the project’s technologies, adding tangible context to the ongoing discussions and deepening the consortium’s shared commitment to innovation.

Today, at the ATENA NAV 2025 conference in Messina, the sHYpS project was proudly represented through the presentation of the paper:

“Design Safety Assessment for Liquid Hydrogen Systems on Board Cruise Ships through a Risk-Based Approach”
Authors: I. Lavagnini, F. Rezzante, P. Busetto, F. Cadenaro, M. Roiaz, G. Sancin, E. Russian

The presentation was delivered by Eng. Irene Lavagnini, R&D Manager at Navalprogetti Srl, the coordinator of the sHYpS project.

This event provided a valuable platform to share sHYpS’ ongoing efforts in developing innovative, sustainable, and safe hydrogen-based technologies for the maritime sector.

The maritime world is on the brink of a clean energy revolution—and sHYpS is steering the course. In this 6th edition of our newsletter, we unveil exciting progress in the mission to deliver liquid hydrogen (LH₂) to Viking vessels in Norway, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in sustainable shipping.

From pioneering logistics strategies to regulatory insights and hands-on feasibility trials at the Port of Bergen, our consortium—led by Plug Power in Work Package 4—has been hard at work addressing the challenges of hydrogen deployment in the Nordic region. With ports like Antwerp and Esbjerg joining the conversation and harmonization of safety frameworks underway, we are laying the foundation for a scalable, safe, and commercially viable LH₂ supply chain.

Curious about our step-by-step container handling protocols? Or the leap toward full-scale bunkering operations in Work Package 7? Dive into this issue and discover how sHYpS is propelling the shipping sector toward its zero-emission future.

sHYpS took the spotlight at the ITS Congress in Seville, Europe’s key event for smart mobility, bringing together innovators, policymakers, researchers, and companies to explore concrete solutions and cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of smart and sustainable transport in Europe.

Our colleagues Anastasiya Azarko and Michela Apruzzese from CiaoTech – Gruppo PNO showcased sHYpS at the PNO booth, engaging in discussions about the project.

We are pleased to announce that a technical meeting of the sHYpS Project Consortium took place at Navalprogetti Srl’s headquarters, bringing together key partners including Chart Industries, Inc., CENERGY srl, Lloyd’s Register, and Viking, with the valued participation of FINCANTIERI and GORIZIANE HOLDING S.p.A..

The meeting focused on several strategic areas essential to the advancement of the sHYpS project. Discussions addressed the planning of upcoming milestones and timelines, a detailed review of prototype manufacturing, progress on certification processes, and the organization of the testing schedule.

This gathering demonstrated once again the strength of the collaboration within the consortium. The joint commitment and synergy among partners are steadily driving the project forward, step by step, toward the development of innovative and sustainable solutions for the maritime sector.

Navalprogetti is actively exploring sustainable alternatives to traditional ship fuels. While ship design remains largely unchanged, the company is focusing its innovation efforts on alternative fuels such as methane and hydrogen.

Under the guidance of Irene Lavagnini, R&D Manager, Navalprogetti has participated in numerous EU- and regionally-funded research projects, expanding its work from traditional engineering—like structural calculations and hydrodynamics—to cutting-edge developments in green propulsion technologies.

One of its flagship initiatives is the sHYpS project, co-funded by the Horizon Europe programme. This project involves designing and developing a liquid hydrogen propulsion system for cruise ships, though the technology is scalable to other large vessels. The solution is hybrid: conventional propulsion is retained, but hydrogen is used for certain legs of the journey, emitting only water vapor. Notably, SWAP tank systems will be employed—once a tank is empty, it is swapped out like a battery, eliminating the need for onboard bunkering.

The system is being developed by a consortium that includes technical and certification partners, such as Lloyd’s Register, ensuring each component is approved and compliant. Prototype testing is expected to begin this year.

Navalprogetti is also involved in a second project, funded by Interreg Italy-Croatia, aimed at decarbonizing Adriatic routes by designing a system using gaseous hydrogen for ferry routes between Italy and Croatia. The project runs until July 2026 and will evaluate feasibility, power needs, autonomy, and economic viability.

Despite its commitment to green innovation, Navalprogetti continues to provide conventional naval engineering services while gradually expanding its expertise into hydrogen, ethanol, ammonia, and carbon capture technologies. The company aims to become a key player in the energy transition of the maritime sector.

Read the Italian article here.

We are thrilled to announce that the sHYpS project has been awarded First Prize in the Innovation Category at the prestigious 2025 Waterborne Awards! This recognition highlights our dedication to advancing hydrogen fuel cell technology and driving the transition toward zero-emission shipping.

About the Waterborne Awards

Held on January 30, 2025, in Brussels, this event brings together maritime leaders, industry experts, and innovators to celebrate groundbreaking advancements in waterborne transport. Organized by Waterborne TP, an initiative of the European Commission, the awards honor projects that shape the future of sustainable and competitive maritime transport.

A Milestone for sHYpS

Winning in the Innovation Category marks a major achievement for the sHYpS consortium, recognizing our work in integrating hydrogen fuel cells into vessels to cut carbon emissions and advance fossil-free shipping. This success is a testament to the dedication and expertise of all our project partners, from system design to vessel integration.

The Future of Hydrogen-Powered Shipping

This award fuels our mission to prove that hydrogen is the future of clean maritime transport. We are incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together and look forward to further collaboration and innovation in making sustainable shipping a reality!

A huge thank you to all sHYpS partners for making this possible!