RINA Certifies Baker Hughes NovaLT 16 Gas Turbine
RINA, the inspection, certification and consulting engineering multinational and Baker Hughes, an energy technology company, announced that RINA awarded a Type Approval certification to Baker Hughes for its NovaLT 16 gas turbine technology, specifically to operate on natural gas and up to 100% hydrogen for marine propulsion applications.
The certification was announced during Posidonia 2026 in Athens, Greece. This milestone marks a step in the ongoing collaboration between RINA and Baker Hughes to explore the use of advanced gas turbine technology in the maritime sector, as shipowners seek viable solutions to decarbonize operations in response to evolving regulatory frameworks.
Originally developed for industrial power generation applications, the NovaLT gas turbine family combines compact design, high efficiency and operational flexibility. The technology operates in the 12–17megawatt (MW) range in simple cycle and up to 22 MW in combined cycle applications, offering high availability and extended maintenance intervals of up to 35,000 hours. Through a dedicated maritime validation process, the NovaLT 16 technology meets the specific requirements of onboard installation and operation, enabling compliance with maritime regulations and seamless integration into ship systems.
As the maritime sector accelerates its transition to alternative fuels, gas turbines are gaining attention for their high-power density, operational flexibility, and ability to support new propulsion architectures, including electric and hybrid systems for lower CO2 emissions – especially when compared to conventional two-stroke and four-stroke diesel engines. Baker Hughes NovaLT turbine technology is designed to operate with natural gas and is being further enhanced to support multiple fuels, including low- and zero-carbon fuels such as 100% hydrogen – positioning it as a key enabler for long-term maritime decarbonization.
