HydrogenShipbuilding.com
20 sailing
35 ordered
22 projects
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Hydrogen-Powered Ships & Tankers Database

Database of 60+ hydrogen-powered ships and tankers worldwide — operational vessels, newbuild orders and concept projects. Bulk carriers, LH2 tankers, cargo ships, ferries, cruise vessels and offshore vessels running on liquid or compressed hydrogen.

Hydrogen-powered ships

Database tracking hydrogen-powered ships worldwide — 62 vessels as of September 2026, spanning bulk carriers, hydrogen tankers (LH2 carriers), containerships, ferries, cruise vessels, offshore support vessels and inland barges. 19 are already operational, 16 are on firm newbuild order, and 21 are at concept or feasibility stage. Filter by type, storage form (liquid vs. compressed) or drivetrain below, or contact hello@hydrogenshipbuilding.com for particulars, operational details, location or hydrogen equipment specifications on any vessel.

19 Operational
16 On Order
21 Projects
Type
Storage
Drive

Cancelled

6

Frequently Asked Questions

Do hydrogen-powered ships exist? Yes. As of September 2026 this database tracks over 60 hydrogen vessels worldwide, of which around 19 are already operational — ferries, offshore vessels, inland barges and workboats running on fuel cells or hydrogen internal combustion engines. A further 16+ are on firm newbuild order, and about 21 more are at concept or feasibility stage.

Is there such a thing as a hydrogen tanker? The closest equivalent is a liquid hydrogen (LH2) carrier — a purpose-built cryogenic tanker that transports liquid hydrogen at −253°C, the hydrogen equivalent of an LNG carrier. This database tracks LH2 carrier newbuilds and projects separately from vessels that merely burn hydrogen as fuel for their own propulsion.

What types of hydrogen-powered ships are being built? The largest categories tracked here are offshore support vessels and inland vessels (12 each), followed by bulk carriers (10), cruise vessels (7), ferries (6), containerships (4), tugboats (3), and smaller numbers of yachts, dredgers, LH2 carriers and fishing vessels. Offshore and inland routes tend to move first because their short, predictable duty cycles suit current hydrogen storage volumes.

What’s the difference between a hydrogen cargo ship and a hydrogen container ship? On this database, “hydrogen cargo ship” is used loosely to cover any hydrogen-fuelled vessel carrying freight — bulk carriers, general cargo ships and containerships alike. “Hydrogen container ship” refers specifically to containerships, a smaller and technically harder subset because their cargo-space economics leave less room for hydrogen storage tanks than a bulk carrier or general cargo hull.

Looking for who’s actually behind these vessels? See the hydrogen shipping companies directory — every owner and operator in this database, grouped by company.