Bureau Veritas (BV), the world's leading testing, inspection and certification body, has published a new rule note (NR 547) on marine fuel cell power systems. The rule note covers the safety requirements for ships using any type of fuel cell technology, providing rules for the arrangement and installation of fuel cell power systems and the delivery of electrical energy.
Over the past few years, fuel cells have proven to have strong potential to help decarbonize the shipping industry. The technology is based on an electrochemical reaction similar to a battery that can run continuously without charging as long as there is a fuel supply.
Compared to diesel engines, fuel cells can bring significant environmental benefits, eliminating NOx, SOx and particulate emissions while reducing CO2 emissions. However, this technology also presents some challenges that must be addressed to ensure safety.
In order to ensure the safety of ships, Bureau Veritas' NR 547 puts forward requirements for the design, construction and installation of fuel cell systems. The purpose is to identify and mitigate risks to people on board, the environment and the structural integrity of the ship.
Fuel cell systems and ship designs must limit the risk of explosions, the spread of toxic chemicals, and fire outbreaks.
Among the requirements outlined in NR 547, maritime stakeholders developing and using fuel cells must carefully assess the risks associated with their design, from construction to installation and operation. Shipyards and equipment manufacturers must meet specific safety requirements in order to obtain certification of fuel cell systems.
Once fuel cells are integrated on board, ship operators must protect the crew and ensure proper handling of fuel cell equipment. Granting additional service capabilities to fuel cells requires an extensive risk assessment.
These assessments include a Hazard Identification in the Fuel Cell Space (HAZID) study, a Hazard and Operability Analysis (HAZOP) study of a Fuel Cell Powertrain, and a Failure Mode and Effects Critical Analysis (FMECA) of a Fuel Cell Power Installation.
In addition to covering fuel cells using hydrogen, the new rules also cover fuel cell technologies that apply to multiple alternative fuel types, each with its own risk profile.
NR 547 is used in conjunction with several other rule notes to cover a variety of alternative fuels, including: ammonia, methane, liquefied petroleum gas, methanol, and ethanol.
Therefore, for practical purposes, NR 547 will be used in conjunction with other ISI rule descriptions, including NR 670 for methanol and ethanol, NR 529 for methane, NI647 for LPG, and NR for ammonia 671.
