Baker Hughes’ NovaLT™ 16 Gas Turbine Earns RINA Certification for Hydrogen-Ready Marine Propulsion
A major milestone in the maritime industry’s journey toward decarbonization has been achieved as RINA, the global inspection, certification, and engineering consultancy group, awarded Type Approval certification to Baker Hughes for its NovaLT™ 16 gas turbine technology. The certification validates the turbine’s suitability for marine propulsion applications operating on natural gas and, in the future, up to 100% hydrogen, highlighting its potential role in helping the shipping industry reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining performance and operational reliability.
The announcement was made during Posidonia 2026 in Athens, Greece, one of the world’s most influential maritime exhibitions and conferences. The certification represents a significant advancement in the collaboration between RINA and Baker Hughes, demonstrating how technology developers and maritime classification organizations can work together to accelerate the adoption of innovative propulsion systems designed for a lower-carbon future.
As the global shipping sector faces increasing pressure to reduce emissions and comply with evolving environmental regulations, industry stakeholders are actively exploring alternative fuels and propulsion technologies capable of supporting long-term sustainability goals. The approval of the NovaLT™ 16 gas turbine provides shipowners and operators with a new option that combines fuel flexibility, high efficiency, and future readiness.
The maritime industry is currently undergoing one of the most significant transformations in its history. International organizations, governments, and regulatory bodies are implementing stricter emissions standards aimed at reducing carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gas emissions from shipping operations. These regulatory developments are driving investments in alternative fuels such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen, as well as advanced propulsion technologies capable of utilizing these fuels.
Within this context, gas turbines have emerged as an increasingly attractive solution for marine propulsion. Their compact footprint, high power density, operational flexibility, and compatibility with multiple fuel types make them particularly suitable for modern vessel designs and future hybrid-electric propulsion systems.
The certification awarded by RINA confirms that the NovaLT™ 16 gas turbine meets the requirements necessary for safe and effective deployment in marine environments. The approval process involved detailed technical assessments and validation procedures to ensure compliance with maritime safety standards, operational requirements, and regulatory expectations.
According to RINA, the certification reflects the importance of early engagement between technology providers and classification societies when introducing innovative technologies into the shipping sector.
Giosuè Vezzuto, Marine Executive Vice President at RINA, emphasized the significance of collaboration in supporting the adoption of new technologies. He noted that the certification demonstrates the value of involving classification organizations during the development and evaluation process, helping ensure that emerging solutions meet the safety, performance, and regulatory standards required for maritime applications.
The NovaLT™ family of gas turbines was originally developed for industrial power generation markets. Over time, the technology has gained recognition for its combination of efficiency, flexibility, and reliability across a variety of energy applications. Baker Hughes has now adapted the technology to address the unique challenges associated with marine propulsion, creating a platform capable of supporting both current and future fuel strategies.
The NovaLT™ 16 turbine offers power output in the range of 12 to 17 megawatts (MW) in simple-cycle operation. When deployed in combined-cycle configurations, the system can achieve outputs of up to 22 MW. These capabilities make it suitable for a broad range of marine applications, including large commercial vessels, specialized ships, offshore support vessels, and potentially future low-emission maritime transportation solutions.
One of the key advantages of the NovaLT™ platform is its operational flexibility. The turbine is designed to operate efficiently on natural gas while also being prepared for future fuel transitions. Baker Hughes is further advancing the technology to enable operation using multiple fuel options, including low-carbon and zero-carbon fuels such as hydrogen.
Hydrogen is widely viewed as a promising long-term solution for decarbonizing sectors that are difficult to electrify, including maritime transportation. The ability of the NovaLT™ 16 to support up to 100% hydrogen operation positions the technology as a strategic asset for shipowners seeking propulsion systems that can adapt to changing fuel availability and increasingly stringent emissions regulations over the coming decades.
Beyond fuel flexibility, the turbine also delivers significant operational benefits. Its compact design allows for efficient installation in space-constrained marine environments, while its high-power density enables vessel operators to maximize available onboard space. These characteristics can contribute to improved vessel design flexibility and enhanced cargo capacity.
The NovaLT™ platform is also engineered to provide high availability and extended maintenance intervals. With maintenance cycles reaching up to 35,000 operating hours, operators can potentially reduce downtime and lower lifecycle operating costs. Reliability remains a critical consideration in marine operations, where unexpected equipment failures can lead to costly disruptions and safety concerns.
To achieve maritime certification, Baker Hughes conducted a dedicated validation process tailored specifically to marine applications. This process ensured that the turbine could withstand the unique conditions encountered at sea, including vibration, environmental exposure, onboard integration requirements, and operational demands associated with marine propulsion systems.
The validation effort also confirmed that the NovaLT™ 16 can be integrated effectively into vessel power architectures, including conventional mechanical propulsion arrangements as well as emerging electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems. These flexible integration options are increasingly important as shipowners explore new vessel designs aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions.
Ahmed Eldemerdash, Vice President of Climate Technology Solutions at Baker Hughes, highlighted the importance of balancing sustainability objectives with operational performance. He noted that maritime decarbonization requires technologies capable of delivering reliable performance today while remaining adaptable to future energy transitions.
According to Eldemerdash, the Type Approval certification from RINA demonstrates the readiness of the NovaLT™ 16 platform for real-world marine applications. He emphasized that the turbine’s fuel-flexible design allows customers to pursue sustainability goals without compromising reliability, safety, or operational effectiveness.
The certification also aligns with Baker Hughes’ broader strategy of applying proven energy technologies in new ways to help customers address the interconnected challenges of energy security, affordability, and sustainability. By adapting an established industrial gas turbine platform for marine applications, the company is leveraging existing technological expertise while supporting the shipping industry’s transition toward cleaner energy solutions.
As the maritime sector continues to pursue pathways toward net-zero emissions, technologies capable of operating on both conventional and future low-carbon fuels will play an increasingly important role. The NovaLT™ 16 gas turbine’s ability to operate on natural gas today and potentially transition to 100% hydrogen in the future offers a practical approach for shipowners seeking long-term investment certainty amid a rapidly evolving regulatory and technological landscape.
The Type Approval certification awarded by RINA marks an important step forward for hydrogen-ready marine propulsion technology and reinforces the growing role of advanced gas turbines in the future of sustainable shipping. As vessel operators evaluate strategies to reduce emissions while maintaining operational performance, solutions such as the NovaLT™ 16 are expected to become key components of the maritime industry’s decarbonization toolkit.
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