RINA has awarded an approval in principle (AiP) certificate to Drift Energy for its energy-harvesting ship design, marking the first time such certification has been granted for this type of vessel.

The certificate was presented to Drift's CEO, Ben Medland, by Patrizio Di Francesco, North Europe special projects business development manager and principal engineer at RINA, during Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami on 20 May.

The AiP confirms that Drift's design meets safety levels equivalent to established marine industry standards through RINA's risk-based approval in principle framework.

Drift's vessels are designed to harness deep-ocean wind to produce electricity using hydro-kinetic turbines under the hull. The electricity is then converted via electrolysis into green hydrogen fuel and stored onboard for delivery to ports and other demand centres.

The ships use AI-enabled routing technology called Goldilocks to locate and follow optimal weather patterns.

Ben Medland, Drift Energy's founder and CEO, stated: "Our ships are set to play a pivotal role in the global energy transition, and I am delighted that Drift is defining the framework that such innovative vessels will be evaluated against in the future. The AiP validates the vessel's feasibility from a class perspective and is a key step towards full plan approval."

Drift Energy, a deep-tech startup based in Bath, UK, was founded in 2021. The company plans to launch its first ship during 2027, subsequently moving to series production to fulfil a current order book of more than 30 vessels.

The company aims to deliver clean energy to coastal and island communities and sectors facing challenges in decarbonisation due to grid constraints or limited access to renewable energy.

Patrizio Di Francesco remarked: "This approval in principle underscores RINA's commitment to supporting the safe and credible development of innovative vessel concepts that contribute to the energy transition through the use of green hydrogen as an energy carrier. Through close technical collaboration with Drift Energy, RINA has assessed a novel design that introduces new approaches to the generation and transport of clean energy at sea, while addressing classification and safety requirements from the earliest stages of development."

RINA is a certification and engineering company providing services across the energy, marine, infrastructure and mobility, certification, industry and real estate sectors. The company reported revenues of €915m in 2024.