French maritime school takes delivery of hydrogen-powered training vessel

The Maritime and Aquaculture Professional Academy of Bastia (Lycée Professionnel Maritime et Aquacole de Bastia; LPMA Bastia), a maritime school on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, has taken delivery of a new training vessel fitted with a hydrogen-electric propulsion system.

Alba was designed by French naval architecture firm Mauric to help LPMA Bastia train prospective fishing vessel crews.

The vessel has an LOA of 19.95 metres, a beam of 5.6 metres, space for 12 students and two crewmembers, and equipment for longline and seine fishing. The hydrogen-electric propulsion arrangement will deliver a maximum speed of 13 knots while an economical cruising speed of 10 knots will enable the vessel to operate for up to 11 hours.

The propulsion setup consists of two 200kW electric motors, two 178kWh battery packs, and two range extenders each fitted with nine compressed hydrogen cylinders.

Key features include an engine compartment spacious enough to enable students and instructors to stand upright, two hydraulic deck cranes, and a large wheelhouse that would enable instruction in both manoeuvering and navigation even as the vessel is underway.