A UK-backed maritime consortium has successfully validated a “world-first” grid-independent Hydrogen Power Hub designed to accelerate port decarbonization.

At the heart of the system are three modular hexagonal floating platforms spanning a combined footprint of nearly 12,900 square feet. The platforms integrate approximately 45MWh of battery energy storage, modular fuel cell systems, hydrogen-powered generation, onboard renewable energy sources, and advanced grid-forming AC/DC electrical architecture designed to deliver power directly to vessels.

The concept was validated through a six-month program under the UK Research and Innovation Clean Maritime Demonstrator Competition Round 6, conducted in partnership with the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions. The effort included hydrodynamic, structural, electrical, and operational testing.

The partners say the project demonstrated that existing hydrogen, battery, fuel-cell, and electrical technologies can be integrated into a modular floating system capable of supplying power to large ships at berth and deployed across ports worldwide.

Tackling port electrification bottlenecks with 5MW output

Designed for large-scale maritime operations, the Hydrogen Power Hub can deliver up to 5MW of continuous clean electricity directly to vessels at berth. The system supports both 6.6kV and 11kV shore power connections, providing enough capacity to serve medium-sized cruise ships and other power-intensive maritime assets.

The project is aimed at overcoming one of the biggest challenges in port decarbonization: access to reliable electrical infrastructure. Many ports still struggle to deploy shore power at scale because of limited grid capacity, lengthy utility connection timelines, space constraints, complex permitting requirements, and the high costs associated with conventional shore-side power installations. 

By operating independently of existing grid infrastructure, the floating platform offers an alternative path for ports seeking to reduce vessel emissions. Rather than relying on extensive shore-side construction, the floating platform places energy infrastructure directly on the water. Traditional shore power projects can take three to seven years or more to complete, often requiring substation upgrades, grid reinforcement, major civil works, and lengthy permitting processes. By avoiding many of these requirements, the system could offer ports a faster route to reducing emissions.

According to the consortium, the platform is capable of supplying approximately 91MWh of energy per week while supporting repeated vessel charging operations. The design is intended to minimize the need for major construction projects, land reclamation efforts, or costly upgrades to existing electrical infrastructure.

Reducing the need for permanent port fuel infrastructure

To support continuous operations, the platform consumes roughly 16,500 to 17,600 pounds of hydrogen per week, stored in modular, ISO-compatible low-pressure containers integrated into the floating structure. The approach is designed to simplify fuel logistics while maintaining flexibility for different port environments.

The current configuration includes seven onboard hydrogen storage tanks, with refueling expected about twice per week. According to the project team, this setup allows ports to begin deploying hydrogen-powered shore power systems without first investing in permanent hydrogen infrastructure, potentially lowering barriers to adoption during the early stages of implementation.

Rather than depending on large generators, the system uses 1.3MW modular fuel cells to continuously charge onboard batteries, allowing energy to be rapidly delivered when ships connect at berth. It also integrates 146kW of onboard solar capacity, helping reduce hydrogen consumption.

Additional testing by the University of Strathclyde confirmed the platform’s stability, structural performance, motion characteristics, and multi-platform connectivity under different sea conditions, supporting its suitability for long-term maritime operations.

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