Hydrogen may offer considerable potential as a marine fuel. The lower fuel mass when compared with existing hydrocarbon fuels can usefully increase payload which in turn benefits the economics of oceanic transport and provides the opportunity to compete in new markets. The potential to virtually eliminate pollution at the point of use may prove significant at a time when exhaust emissions from shipping are becoming a matter of global concern. The potential for hydrogen in the marine environment, the current state of transferable technologies and the particular technical and economic issues that need to be addressed are considered in the context of a design study being conducted on a high-speed foil-assisted catamaran capable of transporting 600TEU at speeds of up to 64 kn (118.5 km/h) over trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic trade routes. It is concluded that such a vessel is technically feasible and could achieve door-to-door delivery times, as part of an integrated transport chain, otherwise only possible by airfreight but at a fraction of the cost. (C) 2006 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.