Lloyd’s Register issues updated guidance to support safe fuel cell integration onboard ships
This revised guidance provides shipbuilders and shipowners technical, regulatory and safety frameworks for integrating fuel cell power systems into new and existing vessels.
Lloyd’s Register (LR) has released updated guidance for the installation of fuel cells on ships, offering shipowners and shipbuilders a comprehensive framework to support the safe deployment of alternative power systems.
The July 2025 edition of Guidance Notes on the Installation of Fuel Cells on Ships incorporates recent regulatory updates and technical developments related to fuel cell technology in the maritime sector.
Fuel cells powered by hydrogen or ammonia are viewed as options for achieving zero or near net-zero tank-to-wake emissions. LR’s updated guidance corresponds to the 2024 Rule changes for fuel cell installations and presents revised safety concepts for onboard integration.
The guidance introduces two safety concepts for fuel cell spaces: emergency shutdown-protected fuel cell spaces and gas-safe fuel cell spaces. The gas-safe fuel cell space concept enables installation of fuel cell power systems within conventional machinery spaces and simplifies retrofitting, while ensuring compliance with fire protection, explosion prevention, and hazardous zone requirements.
The document also addresses lifecycle considerations such as degradation, maintenance, and end-of-life performance, as well as operational topics such as power conditioning, thermal management, and inert gas purging. Specific recommendations are provided for installation locations, access, and environmental resilience. The updated guidance highlights the importance of risk assessments tailored to each installation, considering hazards including fire, explosion, toxicity, and electric shock.
Thomas Bayer, Lead Specialist Fuel Cell Technology, Lloyd’s Register, said: “This new guidance is intended to provide detailed information for supporting the safe integration and reliable operation of fuel cell technologies on board ships.
“By meticulously detailing the framework for safe integration and operation of fuel cell technologies, we are not just providing guidance for understanding and implementing of LR rules; we are fostering innovation and building confidence in the next generation of propulsion systems.”
The updated guidance is now available via the latest edition of LR’s Rules and Regulations.
About Lloyd’s Register
Lloyd’s Register (LR) is a global professional services group specialising in marine engineering, technology and digital solutions. We were created more than 260 years ago as the world’s first marine classification society to improve and set standards for the safety of ships.
Today we are a leading provider of classification and compliance services to the marine and offshore industries, helping our clients design, construct and operate their assets to accepted levels of safety and environmental compliance.
Our digital solutions are relied upon by more than 30,000 vessels, following the acquisition of OneOcean in 2022 and Ocean Technologies Group in 2024.
In the race to zero emissions, our research, advisory and technical expertise and industry-firsts are supporting a safe, sustainable maritime energy transition.
Lloyd’s Register Group is wholly owned by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a politically and financially independent global charity that promotes safety and education.
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