New policies and strict emission limits in the transports sector result in a gradual switch towards alternative fuels and hydrogen is getting attention: fuel cell systems are considered ideal energy converters of the next future. As the interest is rising in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC), there is a need for experimental research and dedicated laboratories on systems designed with Balance of Plant. In this context, the HI-SEA Laboratory (240-kW PEMFC by Nuvera FC, a joint between the University of Genoa-Fincantieri) was born. In this paper, the tuning of the laboratory to simulate a ship-likely environment is addressed, looking at the main problematics and resolutions, related to the cathodic line and the cooling control. Some guidelines are defined to install a PEMFC system onboard a ship exploiting the existing infrastructure. Thanks to the experimental campaign, a stack voltage model previously validated is employed to evaluate the performance of the system.
