Two established names in French maritime innovation have joined forces to push hydrogen-powered professional vessels closer to commercial reality. K-Challenge Lab and Delavergne Shipyard are collaborating on the development of a hydrogen propulsion system for a 12-metre aluminium workboat, with sea trials set for summer 2026 in Lorient and commercial deployment to follow before the year is out.
The ambition is straightforward: deliver a genuinely usable, zero-emission propulsion solution to the professional maritime sector rather than another laboratory concept. Port services, coastal operations and workboat operators are the intended customers, and the project is designed from the outset around the practical demands those users face every day.
Backed by the Brittany Region, K-Challenge Lab is working alongside partners Hopium, Argo-AnLeg and Kinell (Fetis Group) to build a fully integrated, marine-certified hydrogen propulsion system. The scope extends well beyond fitting an alternative engine into an existing hull. The solution encompasses on-board power generation via a hydrogen fuel cell, secure hydrogen storage and management systems, a complete energy architecture and safety framework, and a dedicated mobile hydrogen refuelling station configured for port environments. The end-to-end thinking is deliberate, intended to dismantle the technical and regulatory barriers that have kept hydrogen on the sidelines of professional maritime operations.
Étienne Rochon du Verdier, Hydrogen Lead at K-Challenge Lab, put it plainly: "Decarbonising maritime transport requires more than an alternative engine. It means designing a complete, operational system that works within real regulatory and operational constraints. Our focus is on delivering a hydrogen solution that is safe, credible and deployable today — not in ten years."
The demonstration vessel will be constructed by Delavergne Shipyard, a Nantes-area builder with more than 30 years of experience constructing professional aluminium vessels up to 45 metres in length. The platform chosen is the yard's own Exocet 10, and the approach is deliberately conservative in the right places: the hull and deck will remain identical to the production version, preserving the performance, seaworthiness and operational characteristics of vessels already working in the field. Adaptations will be limited to the internal modifications needed to accommodate the hydrogen system. Naval architecture firm H&T designed the sub-12-metre vessel, which sits in a segment of particular strategic importance for port operations, coastal services and maritime support work.
Jean-Marie Coudé, CEO of Delavergne Shipyard, described the dual nature of the undertaking: "Integrating hydrogen propulsion on a vessel of this size is both a technical challenge and a major opportunity. This project allows us to prepare today for solutions that will soon become standard in professional shipbuilding."
For K-Challenge Lab, the value of the partnership lies in the speed it unlocks. Working from a proven, certified workboat platform compresses the timeline between demonstration and marketable product considerably. "Our first unit will be used to obtain the required certifications and demonstrate real operational performance," said Stephan Kandler, CEO of K-Challenge Lab. "Working with an experienced shipyard on a proven workboat enables us to move quickly from pilot vessel to market ready solution." For Delavergne, the project places the yard at the leading edge of hydrogen integration for aluminium workboats at precisely the moment environmental regulations and client expectations are shifting most sharply.
Hull construction and system integration in Nantes are scheduled to run from January through to early July 2026, with sea trials and operational testing in Lorient beginning from July 2026. Commercial deployment is planned for later that same year. The project partners summarised the broader lesson of the initiative: "The maritime energy transition will be driven by concrete, collaborative projects that deliver real operational results."
The technical profile of the demonstration vessel reflects the practical priorities of the sector it is designed to serve. The Exocet 10 platform measures 10.80 metres in length, extending to 11.90 metres when fully equipped, with a beam of 3.82 metres. The conventional version weighs 5.5 tonnes; the hydrogen variant comes in at 7 tonnes. Top speed is 35 knots, with a cruising speed of 16 to 25 knots. Construction is in aluminium at Delavergne's Bouguenais facility near Nantes. The fuel cell, supplied by Hopium, produces approximately 200 kW. The battery system is provided by Kinell of the Fetis Group, and the mobile hydrogen refuelling station is supplied by Argo-AnLeg.
