Singapore’s Proteus teams with Symbio to bring automotive hydrogen fuel cell tech to shipping

A new hydrogen fuel cell system tailored for maritime applications has been unveiled by Singapore-based Proteus Energy in partnership with French hydrogen fuel cell specialist Symbio.

The modular system, known as the Proteus Maritime Fuel Cell Solution, is intended for deployment on vessels such as harbor craft, coastal ships, offshore support vessels, and inland waterway vessels. The first product in the lineup, the Proteus75, offers a 75 kW output per fuel cell stack, with scalability through stack combinations.

Symbio is jointly owned by Michelin, Stellantis, and Forvia, and has previously supplied hydrogen systems for road vehicles including cars, buses, and trucks in Europe.

Designed to support both all-electric and hybrid vessel propulsion, the marine-adapted system can be configured as a modular power pack or integrated directly into a vessel’s structure to extend operational range and reduce battery strain in hybrid configurations, Proteus explained.

Fuel cell stacks for the system will be produced at Symbio’s facility in Lyon, France. The first deliveries of the system are projected for early 2026, pending type approval from class society DNV, expected later in 2025.

“The maritime industry needs viable clean energy solutions today,” said Lars Gruenitz, CEO of Proteus Energy, adding: “We are providing a high energy density solution that is compact and lightweight, which is critical for vessels where space and weight considerations are imperative. This best-in-class system is the logical and most cost-effective choice to help operators make a quantum leap in their decarbonization efforts”.