Research progress in hydrogen production, hydrogen storage, and hydrogen fuel cells for marine power systems

Hydrogen is increasingly considered a promising energy carrier for low-carbon marine power systems. This review examines recent progress in hydrogen production, hydrogen storage, and hydrogen fuel cells for ship and offshore applications from a marine engineering perspective. In terms of hydrogen production, methane and methanol reforming can support transitional onboard supply, whereas water electrolysis offers a more suitable route for low-carbon systems; among the major electrolysis technologies, AWE and PEMWE are currently more relevant to near-term marine deployment, while SOE shows potential for large-scale systems with available waste heat. For hydrogen storage, compressed and liquid hydrogen remain the most mature options, whereas adsorbent materials, hydrates, and metal hydrides still face limitations in storage density, kinetics, or thermal management. For onboard power conversion, PEMFCs are presently the most practical choice for marine use, while high-temperature fuel cells may be more suitable for larger vessels under steady operating conditions. Overall, the wider deployment of hydrogen-based marine power systems will depend on further progress in cost reduction, durability, onboard safety, infrastructure, and system integration.