Institute presents study results on offshore production of green hydrogen at STG Annual General Meeting

The Institute of Maritime Energy Systems was involved in a case study that highlighted the technical and safety requirements for the infrastructure - from underwater pipelines to harbour-based facilities and transport solutions. Head of department Moritz Braun has now presented the results of the study on "Safety and resilience of infrastructure for offshore production and transport of green hydrogen" at the 119th Annual General Meeting of the Schiffbautechnische Gesellschaft e.V. (STG), which took place from 20 to 22 November 2024 in Hamburg. The study was conducted in collaboration with the DLR Institute for the Protection of Maritime Infrastructures.

The Schiffbautechnische Gesellschaft is a non-profit organisation with 17 specialist committees that bring together experts from shipping companies, shipyards, suppliers and research institutions. With around 1,800 members, the STG serves as an important platform for professional dialogue on current developments and research findings in the field of maritime technology.

The DLR Institute of Maritime Energy Systems has been part of this network for several years and once again contributed its expertise this year.

Focus on security and resilience

"Increasing geopolitical tensions mean that critical infrastructure such as offshore facilities are exposed to a variety of security risks. Cooperation with the Institute for the Protection of Maritime Infrastructures is therefore of central importance," explained Moritz Braun. The study modelled disruption scenarios and proposed measures to reduce risk and increase resilience. The protective measures analysed included robust protection systems and alternative transport routes.

The DLR Institute of Maritime Energy Systems has developed a simulation-based approach to create concepts for the short sea shipping of green hydrogen and to evaluate their energy efficiency as well as costs and resilience, e.g. in the event of disruptions. The approach also makes it possible to simulate multimodal transport chains, such as transport by pipeline to an interim storage facility in the harbour and then by ship. Various hydrogen carriers are also considered: compressed hydrogen, liquid hydrogen, ammonia and a liquid organic hydrogen carrier.

The scenarios presented showed how offshore facilities can be made more resilient in order to absorb potential disruptions and quickly restore operational continuity.

Impetus for the sustainable transformation of the sector

The Annual General Meeting also provided space for numerous discussions and presentations on innovative solutions in the maritime transport and energy sector. The contributions emphasised the crucial role of robust technologies and new approaches in overcoming the challenges of sustainable transformation.