Swedish hydrogen fuel cell provider PowerCell has signed a SEK 44 million (around $4.626 million) agreement with an undisclosed Italian marine original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for the development and delivery of a new MS-500 marine fuel cell system.
The technology is said to be built on PowerCell’s high-performance stack platform (HDS). It is developed for marine, aviation, and stationary power segments, which will reportedly provide up to 1 MW net electrical output in two integrated units.
As advised, it is containerized integration-ready and will be used as auxiliary power aboard, with the potential to scale to main propulsion in future use.
PowerCell explained that the MS-500 marine fuel cell system provides a greater output compared to previous designs yet has the same physical profile, “more flexible installation and improved energy efficiency for shipowners and system integrators.”
The new system will be type-approved ahead of the market launch in 2028.
Richard Berkling, CEO of PowerCell Group, stated: “This agreement is about scale, precision, and continued progress. The marine fuel cell market has already moved beyond technical pilots — we saw that shift begin last year with the commercial adoption of our Marine System 225. What we are seeing now is acceleration. This order confirms that leading OEMs are not only adopting zero-emission solutions, but they are also planning for the next generation with higher power, lower cost, and smaller footprint. This new platform complements our current product range and strengthens our ability to support customers as fuel cells become a core part of vessel architecture.”
Worth mentioning, this order, which is reportedly the first commercial commitment to the company’s “next-generation” stack platform, is expected to generate SEK 11 million ($1.157 million) in revenue in 2025.
Additionally, on other news, PowerCell received type approval from UK based classification society Lloyd’s Register for Marine System 225, part of its portfolio power solutions based on fuel cells designed for marine conditions. In addition, it received an order from a European shipyard that is not disclosed for its M2Power 250 system, the first commercial sale of an integrated methanol-to-power solution, a technology released in Q3 2024.