Postgraduate Diploma in PEM/Naval Balance of Plant Integration
800-hour online Postgraduate Diploma in PEM/Naval Balance of Plant Integration. 8 modules covering MSC.1/Circ.1647 (interim guidelines for fuel cells on board), IGF Code and MATLAB/Simulink. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in PEM/Naval Balance of Plant Integration — studying from New Zealand
Maritime engineering is significant for New Zealand, given its extensive coastline, large exclusive economic zone and a strong sailing and boatbuilding tradition. Auckland, often called the City of Sails, hosts boatbuilders, marine service providers and offshore engineering firms, while Maritime New Zealand regulates safety at sea. Opportunities include naval architecture, offshore energy and aquaculture, and the New Zealand Defence Force's naval fleet supports further demand.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,770 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Which New Zealand bodies regulate marine and offshore engineering?
Maritime New Zealand regulates maritime safety and the operation of vessels, and Engineering New Zealand is the professional body for engineers. Marine surveying and certain roles require recognised certificates issued by official bodies. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so they do not replace these requirements.
Do marine and offshore employers in New Zealand value private qualifications?
New Zealand has active marine, boatbuilding, port and offshore sectors, particularly in Auckland and the Bay of Plenty. Employers usually prioritise recognised certificates, licences and practical experience. A SEIUM qualification may support an application, but whether it is valued is for each employer to decide.
Can I study this part-time from New Zealand?
Yes. The programme is 100% online and taught in English, so no student visa is needed to study from New Zealand. You are assigned a technical tutor and must complete a final project. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Programme lengths range from 300 to 1,900 hours.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Explain the operation and degradation of PEM fuel cells.
Select on-board hydrogen storage and supply systems.
Design the balance of plant: air, cooling and humidification.
Integrate the stack into the ship's electrical network with converters.
Apply safety regulations and zone classification.
Resolve the physical integration in the machinery space.
Evaluate plant performance across different operating profiles.
Who it's for
- Fuel cell engineer looking to specialise in PEM/Naval Balance of Plant Integration.
- Naval hydrogen systems engineer looking to specialise in PEM/Naval Balance of Plant Integration.
- Electrical propulsion engineer looking to specialise in PEM/Naval Balance of Plant Integration.
- Process safety engineer looking to specialise in PEM/Naval Balance of Plant Integration.
- Naval decarbonisation engineer looking to specialise in PEM/Naval Balance of Plant Integration.
- Energy systems integrator looking to specialise in PEM/Naval Balance of Plant Integration.
- Graduates in engineering or science seeking to enter shipbuilding.
What you'll work with
- MSC.1/Circ.1647 (interim guidelines for fuel cells on board)
- IGF Code
- IEC 62282-2-100 (safety of fuel cell modules)
- ISO 14687 (quality of hydrogen fuel)
- ISO/TR 15916 (basic considerations for hydrogen safety)
- IEC 60079-10-1 (classification of areas with explosive gas atmospheres)
- IEC 60092-501 (electrical propulsion plants)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Electrochemical principle of the PEM fuel cell1.2Membrane, catalyst and gas diffusion layer1.3Polarisation curve and losses1.4Efficiency and heat generated1.5Low- and high-temperature cells1.6Degradation and service life1.7Comparison with SOFC and other technologies1.8Available marine modules1.9Naval and submarine applications1.10Practice: analysis of polarisation curves
2.1Properties of hydrogen2.2Compressed storage at 350 and 700 bar2.3Cryogenic liquid hydrogen2.4LOHC carriers and reformed methanol2.5Metal hydride storage2.6Comparison of energy densities2.7On-board methanol reforming2.8Purity required by ISO 146872.9Hydrogen bunkering2.10Workshop: sizing storage for a ferry
3.1Air supply and compressors3.2Humidification and water management3.3Hydrogen recirculation3.4Purging and anode control3.5Cooling circuit3.6Waste heat recovery3.7DC/DC converters and power conditioning3.8Auxiliaries and parasitic consumption3.9Stack control and monitoring3.10Practice: energy balance of a PEM system
4.1DC architecture with fuel cell and batteries4.2Battery sizing as a buffer4.3Load dynamics and response4.4Hybrid energy management4.5Power quality4.6Protection in DC networks4.7Integration with electric propulsion4.8Redundancy and degraded modes4.9Simulation of load profiles4.10Laboratory: simulation of a hybrid fuel cell–battery system
5.1IGF Code and its application to hydrogen5.2Interim guidelines MSC.1/Circ.1647 for fuel cells5.3Class rules for fuel cells5.4Hazardous areas and ventilation5.5Hydrogen detection5.6ATEX explosion prevention5.7HAZID risk analysis5.8Location of the fuel cell space5.9Crew training5.10Case study: layout of a fuel cell space
6.1Impact on general arrangement6.2Weight and stability6.3Ventilation and ducting6.4Double-walled piping6.5Thermal management in spaces6.6Noise and vibration6.7Maintenance and accessibility6.8Integration in existing vessels6.9Installation costs6.10Workshop: layout on a coastal passenger ship
7.1Operating and start-up strategies7.2Stack maintenance7.3Degradation monitoring7.4On-board hydrogen management7.5Operating costs and hydrogen price7.6Emissions analysis7.7European demonstrator projects7.8Operational experience on fuel cell vessels7.9Technology roadmap7.10Case study: analysis of a hydrogen ferry
8.1Vessel definition and profile8.2Stack sizing8.3Storage selection8.4Balance of plant design8.5Electrical and hybrid integration8.6Safety analysis8.7Life-cycle economic assessment8.8Technical conclusions and recommendations8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Training 100 % online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it compatible with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB/Simulink, Aspen HYSYS, DNV Phast, Siemens Simcenter Amesim, AVEVA Marine, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied on real procedures for modelling PEM balance of plant, HAZID/HAZOP studies of hydrogen systems, and performance analysis on operating profiles. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Explain the operation and degradation of PEM fuel cells.
Select on-board hydrogen storage and supply systems.
Design the balance of plant: air, cooling and humidification.
Integrate the stack into the ship's electrical network with converters.
Apply safety regulations and zone classification.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow the reading of technical regulations.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme consists of 800 hours in total, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
The programme uses MATLAB/Simulink, Aspen HYSYS, DNV Phast, Siemens Simcenter Amesim, AVEVA Marine. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An in-house diploma from SEIUM upon passing continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification issued by the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are credited towards the higher programme. Check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
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