In 2025, Russia will begin testing its first domestic hydrogen-powered vessel. The excursion vessel of Project 00393 "EcoBalt" was developed by the "Baltsudoproekt" Central Design Bureau (part of the Krylov State Research Center).
The keel-laying of "EcoBalt" took place in February 2023, and the launch took place in August 2024. The contract amount with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation amounted to 634 million rubles, which included research and development work on creating technologies, designing and developing universal functional blocks based on hydrogen fuel cells, as well as creating a refueling station and a vessel prototype. Now the prototype will be tested in the Volga River. Previously, the technological launch of its power plant was successfully carried out by specialists from the KSRC and the Zelenodolsk Plant named after Gorky.
Dmitry Novikov, General Director of FSUE KSRC, announced that the vessel will be presented at the Kazan Economic Forum in May 2025 (from 05/13/2025 to 05/18/2025), after which sea trials will begin.
The vessel will be put to the test in the near future. It was previously impossible to test it due to navigation restrictions. In addition, EcoBalt will be presented at the Kazan Economic Forum in May. Afterwards, my colleagues from the Zelenodolsk Plant and I will take the vessel to the Volga River and begin sea trials.
During the tests, not only the running characteristics, but also the hydrogen refueling system will be checked. This project could be an important step in the development of environmentally friendly water transport in Russia.
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