Environmental impacts of fuel cell use in deep-sea shipping towards 2050

Journal article, 2026

Fuel cells have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from deep-sea shipping. To fully understand the environmental impacts of integrating fuel cells into deep-sea ships, this study evaluates the life cycle environmental impacts from 2020 to 2050 for two leading fuel cell systems: liquid hydrogen with proton exchange membrane fuel cells (liquid-H2 PEMFC) and liquid ammonia with solid oxide fuel cells (liquid-NH3 SOFC). The study covers various factors, including changes in cargo capacity, operation modes, developments in hydrogen production and electricity decarbonization. We examine two energy scenarios developed by the International Energy Agency: the Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS) and the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario (NZE). Our findings reveal that, under different ranges and speeds, the liquid-H2 PEMFC results in a 2% increase to a 10% decrease in cargo weight, while the liquid-NH3 SOFC leads to a 4%–23% decrease. By 2050, under the NZE scenario, liquid-H2 PEMFC and liquid-NH3 SOFC can reduce GHG emissions per tonne-nautical mile by 69%–75% and 65%–71%, respectively, compared to traditional ships. The use of fuel cells also introduces environmental trade-offs. This assessment can help policymakers gain a more comprehensive understanding of the role of fuel cells in reducing GHG emissions in deep-sea shipping and underscores the potential environmental challenges associated with their large-scale deployment in the future.