Icelandic container line Samskip is taking the lead in a new project called Seashuttle that will see it build two emissions-free boxships.
The all-electric vessels will also be autonomous and will be able to compete on cost with regular ones, it said.
Seashuttle is going ahead with €6m ($6.88m) of cash from the Norwegian government.
The vessels will connect Poland, Sweden and the Oslo Fjord.
They will draw on state-of-the-art hydrogen fuel cells for their propulsion power.
“Samskip is delighted to take the lead in the project to develop next generation sustainable shortsea shipping,” said Are Grathen, managing director of Samskip Norway.
“What distinguishes this project and will be key to its success is the combination of fuel and technology that will make it cost competitive with existing solutions. With our trusted project partners, we are convinced that such ambitions are realistic.”
Once operational, there is no reason why zero emissions ships should not target the 2,000 truck loads passing through Norwegian ports every day, he added.
Seashuttle partners include logistics consultant FlowChange, technology group Kongsberg Maritime, hydrogen integrator HYON and Massterly, the Kongsberg/Wilhelmsen venture developing autonomous vessel solutions.
Final Seashuttle ports of call are yet to be determined.
Fuel cell technology will convert hydrogen into power for propulsion through electrolysis at a Norwegian port.
For the moment, the project envisages zero emissions during 20% of a round trip between Poland and the Oslo Fjord, which is sufficient for all operations in Norwegian waters.
That proportion will grow as more stations fill hydrogen along the route, Samskip said.
