Europe Funds Large-Vessel Hydrogen Project
A consortium led by the University of Vaasa has been awarded Horizon Europe funding for the H4PERION – Hydrogen FOR Performance Enhancement and Reliable Ice OperatioN – project which aims to demonstrate how a large vessel can operate with a hydrogen‑capable internal combustion engine.
Long‑distance shipping remains one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. Ships operating for weeks at a time need enormous amounts of energy and absolute reliability – requirements that today’s batteries and fuel cells cannot yet meet at scale.
The four-year H4PERION project will develop and demonstrate the safe and reliable use of a hydrogen‑capable internal combustion engine on a large oceangoing vessel. The project combines three major innovations:
• A new engine concept capable of using hydrogen and biomethane, with the long‑term goal of full hydrogen operation.
• A modern fuel blending and supply system enabling flexible use of zero‑carbon fuels.
• A new exhaust aftertreatment approach for cleaner emissions across all operating conditions.
The technology will be installed and tested on the ferry Aurora Botnia which operates between Finland and Sweden.
In parallel, a full‑scale engine identical to the one on board will be tested in a laboratory environment, allowing the team to mirror real sailing conditions and optimise performance further. Data from both demonstrations will feed into a digital twin model, supporting long‑term learning and future design work.
The project will produce open training materials for crew and port operators, contribute to safety guidelines and regulatory development, and explore how the technologies can be applied to different vessel types in the future.
Within the project, the University of Vaasa is exploring an innovative combustion concept known as Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI). The goal is to reach a 55 percent net efficiency with near-zero emissions when combined with fully variable valve actuation and advanced aftertreatment solutions.
“This combustion concept is considered a promising way to integrate green hydrogen flexibly into existing natural gas and biogas supply chains. Achieving the targeted efficiency within the project timeline requires deep integration of simulation and testing environments with autonomous calibration routines,” says Maciej Mikulski, Professor of Energy Technology at the University of Vaasa.
Alongside the University of Vaasa as coordinator, the consortium includes Wärtsilä, WEGEMT, NTUA, TalTech, the American Bureau of Shipping, Deltamarin, the University of Oulu, Åbo Akademi University, Meric Wave Computanics, DLR, BALance Technology Consulting, MEYER WERFT and Wasaline.
