Università di Trieste Wins “Best Paper Award” for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Research at “Hydrogen Horizons”

The Università degli Studi di Trieste has been recognized with the Best Paper Award at Hydrogen Horizons, a prestigious international conference bringing together leading experts to explore the future of hydrogen technologies across industries and continents.

Representing the University of Trieste, Davide Pivetta received the award for his presentation titled “Comparative Design Optimization of Low-Temperature Fuel Cell Systems Powered by Pure Hydrogen.”

The work was carried out within the framework of the sHYpS project (sustainable HYdrogen powered Shipping), which aims to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen-based propulsion systems in the maritime sector.

The awarded research focuses on the comparative design optimization of low-temperature fuel cell systems for marine applications, addressing key challenges in system efficiency, compactness, and integration on board vessels. By applying advanced modelling and simulation techniques, the study identifies optimal configurations for hydrogen fuel cell architectures that can enable zero-emission propulsion in maritime transport.

Within the sHYpS project, the Università di Trieste leads research activities on system-level optimization and energy integration of hydrogen-based power systems. This recognition underscores the university’s central role in advancing European hydrogen innovation and supporting the decarbonisation of the shipping industry.

Today, Navalprogetti is hosting another important technical follow-up meeting focused on the progress and upcoming steps of the sHYpS Project.

The agenda includes:

– Review of the TCS/FPR access doors and connection hoses test report
– Status of prototypes: LH₂ tank, TCS/FPR, tank-to-TCS connection system, skid, and fuel cell system
– Certification and class approval progress
– Preparation of on-land test facility and test schedule
– Hydrogen supplier status
– HAZOP (Hazard and Operability Study)
– Planning of sea trials, LH₂ system delivery & demonstration for the EU, and the sHYpS final event
– sHYpS Amendment – project extension

These meetings are essential to ensure alignment across all partners and to maintain momentum toward delivering a fully integrated, class-approved, hydrogen-based onboard energy system.

A special thanks to our partners Viking, Chart Industries, Inc., CENERGY srl, Lloyd’s Register, as well as to key stakeholders FINCANTIERI and GORIZIANE HOLDING S.p.A. for their active participation and valuable contributions.

Great engagement and strong interest at Gastech Milan, where Eng. Irene Lavagnini, R&D Manager at Navalprogetti Srl, had the pleasure of presenting the sHYpS Project and its encouraging results at the Chart Industries, Inc. booth.

The project is now entering its final phase, with land-based testing set to begin ahead of the upcoming onboard installation.

A big thank you to Chart Industries for the warm hospitality, and to all attendees for the stimulating conversations and enthusiasm around clean hydrogen solutions.

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.