French maritime company Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Technip Energies, a compatriot technology and engineering powerhouse, to develop an ammonia storage and cracking to hydrogen vessel.
As informed, the partnership aims to develop the ammonia cracking component of LDA’s FRESH solution, a ship-based processing and storage facility for low-carbon ammonia and hydrogen.
This 170-meter-long vessel features a substantial storage capacity of 45,000 cbm for imported ammonia and can convert it into hydrogen using an ‘innovative’ cracking plant integrated on the vessel deck.
The floating, low-carbon hydrogen terminal is expected to ‘revolutionize’ sustainable energy logistics, according to the companies.
FRESH will be stationed at a port during production and regularly supplied by ammonia carrier vessels. Its cracking plant converts ammonia into gaseous hydrogen (50,000 tonnes hydrogen production annual capacity at 99.9+% purity, with above 90% of energy efficiency). The hydrogen is then compressed and offloaded to shore to continuously and on demand supply industries and heavy mobility.
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The vessel can be relocated according to hydrogen demand.
Technip Energies will integrate its proprietary high-energy efficiency ammonia cracking technology on FRESH. LDA will oversee the hull design and construction and will manage the vessel operations for the FRESH solution.
“This partnership with Technip Energies marks a significant milestone in our journey to operate a floating low-carbon hydrogen terminal. By integrating their ammonia cracking technology, we are taking a crucial step in developing a reliable and efficient solution while ensuring very low GHG and NOx emissions,” Mathieu Muzeau , Transport & Logistics Managing Director at LDA, commented.
The MoU was signed in April 2025, marking the beginning of the collaboration between LDA and Technip Energies.