The H4PERION project — Hydrogen FOR Performance Enhancement and Reliable ICE OperatioN — has officially begun, bringing together European expertise to support the decarbonisation of large oceangoing vessels and long-distance shipping.
Funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, H4PERION will develop a novel marine internal combustion engine capable of operating on hydrogen and biomethane blends. The project will follow a gradual fuel pathway, with the ultimate objective of enabling operation on 100% hydrogen.
Alongside the engine developments, H4PERION will develop and demonstrate a novel fuel supply and blending system and an exhaust-gas aftertreatment solution. The technologies will be validated through full-scale laboratory activities and demonstrated aboard a large vessel, supporting the development of a safe, reliable and economically viable marine power plant for long-distance shipping.
The project will also undertake safety, environmental and lifecycle assessments, investigate the replication of the developed technologies across at least three additional vessel types, and prepare health and safety guidance, specialised training materials for ship crews and port operators, and a standardisation blueprint for hydrogen as a marine fuel.
H4PERION will run for 48 months, from 1 June 2026 to 31 May 2030. The consortium comprises 16 participating organisations from seven European countries, including 14 beneficiaries and two affiliated entities, and is coordinated by the University of Vaasa in Finland.
Over the next four years, the H4PERION partners will work together to advance European hydrogen-ready marine technologies and contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable future for long-distance shipping.
Follow the H4PERION journey and stay connected for the latest project news, technological developments, events and achievements.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 101270728.
