The Turku-based ship design specialists will contribute to the EU-funded Horizon Europe project, coordinated by the University of Vaasa, tasked with accelerating the transition towards zero-carbon long-distance shipping through hydrogen-based technologies.

The four-year project, which officially started on 1 June 2026, brings together 16 partners from seven European countries across the maritime value chain - from ship design and engine development to vessel operation, classification, and research. Its aim is to develop and demonstrate practical solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining the high reliability required for long-haul maritime transport.

"Decarbonising long-distance shipping remains a major challenge, requiring solutions that combine high energy capacity with operational reliability. Hydrogen is increasingly seen as a promising zero-carbon fuel, but its practical application at sea still needs to be proven," Deltamarin underscored in a press release.

The company furthered, "H4PERION addresses this by developing and demonstrating a hydrogen-capable internal combustion engine at full scale. The project brings together key elements such as fuel-flexible engine concepts, hydrogen supply systems, and advanced emissions control."

These technologies will be tested both on board Wasaline's ferry Aurora Botnia and, in parallel, under full-scale laboratory conditions, with the results feeding into future vessel and system development. Beyond technological development, H4PERION will also address the broader ecosystem required for hydrogen adoption in shipping, including safety, regulatory development, and training for crew and port personnel.

"Deltamarin contributes to H4PERION in two key areas. Firstly, we support the integration design of the on-board installation and contribute to validating the achieved KPIs. Secondly, Deltamarin evaluates the transferability of the developed technologies by replicating them for different ship types, supporting scalability and broader industry application of the novel engine concept."