Itaipu Parquetec and JAQ announce an agreement of R$ 150 million for green hydrogen in maritime transportation

From Exame

The Itaipu Technological Park (Itaipu Parquetec) and JAQ, from the Nautical Group, announced this Thursday, the 28th, an agreement of R$ 150 million to boost green hydrogen in Brazil.

According to the companies, the goal of the partnership, dubbed JAQ Green Hydrogen, is to "revolutionize Brazilian navigation with the decarbonization of the sector, using green hydrogen as a propellant fuel."

To achieve this, vessels will be transformed into floating laboratories, research centers, technological platforms, and classrooms for promoting environmental education, research, and the preservation of Brazilian biomes.

The initial investment of R$ 50 million will be aimed at making the vessels viable and is being made with own resources. The rest, according to JAQ, will be obtained through sponsorship.

This is the case for the vessels Explorer H1 and Explorer H2, which will undergo adaptation for green hydrogen.

The Explorer H2, measuring 36 meters in length, will be one of the main attractions of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-30), which will take place in November 2025, in Belém. Currently anchored at the INACE Shipyard in Fortaleza, it will be the first major milestone of the initiative.

After the presentation of the Explorer H2 at COP-30, the second phase will begin with the Explorer H1. Measuring 50 meters in length, the vessel is anchored at the Arpoador Shipyard in Guarujá and has been designed for diving and hydrographic data collection operations.

"The expectation is that Itaipu Parquetec will provide all the green hydrogen technology for the propulsion of the engines and the hospitality aspect of the two JAQ vessels. With this, we will have a model to be adopted for the decarbonization of the nautical sector in Brazil, and it can serve as an example for the world," said Cila Schulman, CEO of JAQ.

According to her, "the presence of the company at COP-30 highlights Brazil's commitment to decarbonization and the preservation of biomes."

Maritime navigation is responsible for about 90% of global trade and is also one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing nearly 3% of global carbon dioxide emissions, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

According to the companies, green hydrogen, considered the "energy of the future," emerges as "a promising solution to significantly reduce emissions in the sector, both in Brazil and globally."