Techno-economic modeling of zero-emission marine transport with hydrogen fuel and superconducting propulsion system: Case study of a passenger ferry

This paper proposes a techno-economic model for a high-speed hydrogen ferry. The model can describe the system properties i.e. energy demand, weight, and daily operating expenses of the ferry. A novel aspect is the consideration of superconductivity as a measure for cost saving in the setting where liquid hydrogen (LH2) can be both coolant and fuel. We survey different scenarios for a high-speed ferry that could carry 300 passengers. The results show that, despite higher energy demand, compressed hydrogen gas is more economical compared with LH2 for now; however, constructing large-scale hydrogen liquefaction plants make it competitive in the future. Moreover, compressed hydrogen gas is restricted to a shorter distance while LH2 makes longer distances possible, and whenever LH2 is accessible, using a superconducting propulsion system has a beneficial impact on both energy and cost savings. These effects strengthen if the operational time or the weight of the ferry increases. •Superconducting ferry consumes the least amount of hydrogen.•Hydrogen in gas form is more appropriate for short distances and lighter ferries.•The high energy demand for compressed hydrogen gas ferries restricts their usage.