Hydrogen fuel cells are moving from pilot projects to commercial operations. At a joint seminar in Espoo, Finland on 11 February 2026, the FLAGSHIPS, H2MARINE and MiNaMi EU projects, one key question topped the agenda: how do we scale fuel cells in maritime applications?

Organised in collaboration with VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the seminar addressed the full value chain. Speakers highlighted how EU regulation is shaping the hydrogen market, how marine fuel cell systems are performing in operation, and how onboard integration can be optimised through advanced DC and AC power solutions.

Industry representatives from ABB, PowerCell Group, Danfoss, and Hitachi Energy shared practical experience from marine applications. Research partners including VTT, CERTH and SINTEF presented developments in PEM fuel cell stacks, fuel quality and multimegawatt system integration.

The message was clear: scaling hydrogen in maritime requires alignment between regulation, infrastructure, technology and operational experience.

FLAGSHIPS demonstrated that this transition is already underway. Two hydrogen-powered vessels have been launched on European waterways: The retrofit H2 Barge 2 on the Rhine and the newbuild Zulu 06 on the Seine.

“Hydrogen fuel cells are no longer future concepts. Through projects like FLAGSHIPS, we are proving that the technology works in real operations and building the confidence needed to scale,” said Jyrki Mikkola, VTT.

By moving from controlled pilots to commercial operations, the project reduces both technical and commercial risk. The next step is to build on proven results and accelerate deployment across more vessels and regions.