Hydrogen-powered racing yacht gains safety nod in clean tech milestone
Phil Sharp CTO at Genevos and skipper of OceansLab. Image courtesy of Olivier Blanchet
A hydrogen-powered offshore racing yacht has passed a key safety milestone that could help shape the future of zero-emission shipping. The IMOCA-class yacht OceansLab – Cleantech Accelerator has received Approval in Principle from Lloyd’s Register for its full hydrogen energy system, including fuel cells, storage, and power integration – a rare endorsement for a hydrogen system operating in an offshore marine environment.
“Today, these results will no doubt have a profound drop-down effect into the maritime sector, accelerating the transition towards true zero emission vessels,” says Phil Sharp, chief technology officer and co-founder of Genevos, and skipper of OceansLab.
Genevos, which specialises in hydrogen and fuel cell systems for marine use, developed and integrated the complete hydrogen system. The AiP validates the design and safety concept of the installation, following a technical review and testing process to ensure compliance with maritime safety standards.
This builds on an earlier 2021 AiP for Genevos’ 15 kW Hydrogen Power Module (HPM-15), and marks a significant advance by certifying a full onboard hydrogen solution, not just a single component.
OceansLab will now act as a testbed for hydrogen-electric propulsion in offshore racing conditions, collecting performance data as it competes in transatlantic and round-the-world races. These insights could pave the way for scalable commercial applications in commercial shipping and special service vessels.
Tariq Berdai, business manager for France and Monaco at Lloyd’s Register, says: “Throughout our 260-year history we have always strived to support innovation in maritime, and this approval in principle signposts the valuable role competitive ocean racing can have in testing alternative fuels such as hydrogen.”
In November, OceansLab also became one of the first vessels to be fuelled with green hydrogen, during operations in the port of Chef de Baie, La Rochelle. The hydrogen was distributed by Cleantech Hub Partner Brétéché.
Following initial offshore trials, OceansLab will continue technical optimisations over winter, with plans to relaunch for its first major transatlantic race, The Transat CIC, in April 2026.
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