Louis Dreyfus Armateurs secures BV AiP for liquid hydrogen-powered SOV

Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) on Thursday (17 April) said it has granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) to Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) for the design of their liquid hydrogen-powered Service Operation Vessel (SOV). 

BV said the approval represented a major step forward in advancing sustainable offshore wind operations and supports LDA’s innovative efforts to decarbonise the maritime sector.

The AiP follows a thorough design review conducted by BV, which included an analysis of the integration of the Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) and Fuel Cell (FC) system. The review was performed in accordance with applicable industry rules and regulations, including BV Rules NR678 for Hydrogen-Fuelled Ships and NR547 for Ships Using Fuel Cells. 

LDA is progressing with the design of a SOV that should operate entirely on hydrogen in offshore wind farms under normal conditions. The 90m vessel will be powered during offshore operations by a set of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells, installed in a dedicated fuel cell space, with a vacuum insulated Type C tank for LH2 storage. 

This complete hydrogen setup will allow zero-emission operations for several days, allowing the vessel to work both during construction and O&M phases, without a need for specific infrastructures, be it offshore or onshore.

Matthieu de Tugny, President of Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, said: “We are delighted to support Louis Dreyfus Armateurs in their innovative efforts to bring sustainable maritime solutions to life with this Approval in Principle. 

“This hydrogen-powered service operation vessel design represents a significant development for the offshore wind sector and contributes to the maritime industry’s transition to a low-carbon future.”

Gaël Cailleaux, Managing Director Renewables at LDA, said: “This Approval in Principle marks a significant milestone. It confirms that this LH2-powered SOV is fully suitable to fulfill the wind farm maintenance contracts for which it was designed.

“This future vessel will be able to operate 95% of the time with zero carbon emissions, preventing the release of 4,000 tonnes of CO2 compared to a conventional SOV, based on our calculations.”

Photo credit: Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore
Published: 22 April, 2025