Hyseas Energy: hydrogen, fuel cells and marine transport

Hyseas Energy is a startup developing hydrogen fuel cells for boats resistant to the specific conditions of marine transport (the risk of salt corrosion in particular).

The company was founded in Cannes in 2015 by Arnaud Vasquez, a former captain and chief engineer in the French Navy. Since 2016, in partnership with the association des Bateliers de la Côte d’Azur, it has been developing the“Telo Martius” project, a ferry operating in the Bay of Toulon. It should be operational in 2022, departing from Toulon, La Seyne, Saint-Mandrier and La Londe to visit the Îles d’Or d’Hyères. The hydrogen-powered boat is expected to be 26 meters long, accommodate 200 passengers and carry 240kW of fuel cells powered by 260kg of hydrogen.

In addition to the two partners (Hyseas Energy and Bateliers de la Côte d’Azur), the project is also part of the Hynovar project, supported by the CCI du Var, Engie Cofely H2 France and Excelis SAS. Hynovar is said to have won an ADEME call for projects. Deployment was scheduled for 2020-2021, and the aid was to amount to 6.45 million euros out of an 18.67 million euro project, but I have no post-2019 information on this subject.

DNV-GL, a classification company specializing in industrial and maritime risk assessment, is said to have chosen the Telo Martius as a case study for developing “good practices” to be followed by ships with low-carbon propulsion (source: startup website)

Hyseas Energy SAS has been registered since November 5, 2015 (RCS Cannes B 814697215), with NAF code 7219Z (Research and development in other physical and natural sciences). The company is domiciled at 5 avenue Montrose in Cannes.

Not to be confused with HySeas III, a European project

HySeas III is a hydrogen ferry project supported by the European Union’s “Horizon 2020” program, which has brought together Ballard (fuel cell), McPhy (refueling infrastructure), Kongsberg Maritime and other organizations, all coordinated by the Scottish University of St.Andrews. It is due to operate in the north of Scotland, between Kirkwall and Shapinsay, in the Orknay Islands. The project began in 2013, and the vessel will be the conclusion of the 3rd phase (hence the name “HySeas III”).