The design of the full liquid hydrogen-powered service operation vessel (SOV) developed by French Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) has been awarded the Approval in Principle (AiP) by the French Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore.

In addition to the existing fully electric and dual-fuel methanol solutions, the company firmly believes that hydrogen will become an important fuel for future maritime decarbonization.

The new liquid hydrogen-powered SOV is capable of achieving zero carbon emissions for 95% of its operation and emitting only water during standard operations. Compared to conventional vessels, this SOV can reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 4,000 tons per year. In addition to accommodating up to 90 technicians while ensuring 24-hour continuous operation and 14 days of sea endurance, the SOV does not require heavy port facilities and can be refueled in just six hours using a trailer. These features are quite impressive.

LDA stated this Approval in Principle represents a vital step towards enabling hydrogen-powered offshore operations.