Hydrogen-fueled trucks are picking up steam among truckers in the US:Tennessee-based logistics company IMC is one of many awaiting its first hydrogen electric fuel-cell trucks, the Wall Street Journal reports, as some truckers shift their focus from battery-cell rigs that weigh (and slow) trucks down. The switch to hydrogen has the advantage of longer trips and speedier refueling compared to battery-cell technology, supporters of the alternatively fueled trucks say. It will also allow the trucks to carry heavier loads since they won’t be hauling industrial-scale batteries. Other manufacturers like Kenworth, Hyundai Motor, and Volvo Trucks are also developing hydrogen-fuelled rigs.

The downside: The market for hydrogen fuel remains scarce, pushing up refueling costs for hydrogen trucks, with hydrogen fuel-cell big rigs costing some USD 450k. Prices for hydrogen are currently set at double and quadruple the cost of diesel, CEO of Hyzon Motors Parker Meeks said, though it’s expected to reach parity over the next three years as supply increases. Another setback is the lack of hydrogen infrastructure which lags behind that of battery-electric trucks.

China’s shipyards have ramped up their output by 10.6% y-o-y to 30.74 dwt in 9M2023, according to statistics from the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry picked up by Seatrade Maritime. The volume of newly received orders also grew 76.7% y-o-y to 57.34 m dwt, the outlet adds. Shipbuilding export volumes increased by 11.8% y-o-y to 26.31 m dwt, while newly received export shipbuilding orders were up by 82% at 53.53m dwt.

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  • French shipping and logistics firmCMA CGM, French telecomIliad Group, and venture group Schmidt Futures have invested EUR 300 mn in launching Europe’s first independent research lab — Kyutai — dedicated to open research in AI. (Press release)
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