Fuel cells have long promised a potential to provide shipping with a clean source of electric power, but the twin challenges of system size and sourcing primary fuels have hampered uptake.

However, developments are afoot to take them to the next level.

Interest in fuel cells has gone up and down over the past few years, booming in 2018 but fading in 2019 as preparation for the switch to low-sulphur fuels took precedence; emerging again this year only to be cut-off by the Covid-19 pandemic.