Baker Hughes' NovaLT 16 Gas Turbine Earns RINA Marine Approval for Hydrogen Propulsion

Baker Hughes has secured a significant maritime certification milestone, with classification society RINA awarding Type Approval to the NovaLT 16 gas turbine for marine propulsion applications, including operation on natural gas and up to 100% hydrogen. The announcement was made at Posidonia 2026 in Athens, Greece, one of the shipping industry's most prominent international events.¹

What Is the NovaLT 16, and What Does This Certification Cover?

Originally developed for industrial power generation, the NovaLT™ 16 is part of Baker Hughes' broader NovaLT gas turbine family, a platform engineered around compact design, high thermal efficiency, and multi-fuel operational flexibility. The machine operates in the 12–17 MW range in simple cycle configuration and can reach up to 22 MW in combined cycle applications.¹

The RINA Type Approval specifically validates the turbine's suitability for onboard marine installation and operation, confirming alignment with maritime safety standards, performance requirements, and regulatory frameworks. Critically, the certification covers operation on both natural gas and up to 100% hydrogen—a capability that positions the NovaLT 16 as one of the more advanced hydrogen-ready propulsion options currently available to shipowners.¹

Extended maintenance intervals of up to 35,000 hours are among the operational characteristics that Baker Hughes highlights as particularly relevant for marine deployment, where minimizing drydock time and maximizing vessel availability are commercial imperatives.¹

Why Are Gas Turbines Gaining Traction in Maritime Propulsion?

The maritime sector's accelerating push toward decarbonization—driven by International Maritime Organization (IMO) emissions targets and evolving regional regulatory frameworks—is prompting shipowners and naval architects to look beyond conventional two- and four-stroke diesel engines. Gas turbines offer several characteristics that are well-suited to this transition.¹

High power density allows turbines to deliver significant output in a physically smaller footprint compared to large-bore diesel machinery—an advantage in vessel designs where space and weight are constrained. Fuel flexibility is increasingly critical as the industry navigates uncertainty around which alternative fuels will dominate long-term. The NovaLT platform's capacity to operate across natural gas and zero-carbon hydrogen within the same certified architecture gives operators optionality without requiring a complete propulsion system overhaul.¹

Gas turbines also integrate naturally with electric and hybrid propulsion architectures, which are gaining ground across ferry, cruise, and specialized vessel segments as a mechanism for reducing CO₂ emissions profiles.¹

The convergence of these factors is reshaping conversations between turbomachinery OEMs and shipowners.

The Role of Early Classification Society Engagement

One of the subtler but practically important aspects of this certification is the collaborative process behind it. RINA's Marine Executive Vice President, Giosuè Vezzuto, emphasized the value of early engagement between technology developers and classification societies, stating that the collaboration helped ensure the NovaLT solution is "aligned with safety, performance and regulatory expectations" before reaching market.¹

For rotating equipment engineers and project developers working on marine propulsion integration, this early-stage classification society involvement is increasingly recognized as essential to compressing the timeline from technology concept to vessel certification—a process that has historically been lengthy and complex for non-conventional propulsion technologies.

Implications for the Turbomachinery and Marine Sectors

Ahmed Eldemerdash, Vice President of Climate Technology Solutions at Baker Hughes, framed the certification as an example of applying "proven technologies in new ways," noting the turbine delivers "performance today and flexibility for tomorrow."¹

For turbomachinery professionals, the NovaLT 16's Type Approval represents a concrete step toward gas turbines becoming a credible alternative to diesel in commercial marine propulsion—particularly for vessels where power density, fuel flexibility, and long maintenance intervals carry high weighting in propulsion selection decisions.

As hydrogen infrastructure and bunkering capabilities mature, the certification's coverage of 100% hydrogen operation gives the platform a defined pathway into zero-emissions marine operations without requiring a new turbine platform or requalification process.

References

1. Baker Hughes. (2026, June 4). Baker Hughes' fuel flexible NovaLT™ 16 Gas Turbine Certified by RINA for Marine Propulsion. https://www.bakerhughes.com/company/news/baker-hughes-fuel-flexible-novalttm-16-gas-turbine-certified-rina-marine-propulsion