28 November 2024
New Liquefied Hydrogen Carriers Development by 2030
MOL, Woodside Energy, HD KSOE and Hyundai Glovis, to jointly develop liquefied hydrogen carriers, apiring to be built and in operation by 2030.
MOL signed a non-binding MoU with Woodside Energy, HD KSOE and Hyundai Glovis, both of South Korea, to jointly study the development of liquefied hydrogen carriers, which the three companies have been pursuing since 2022.
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Concept
TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced the signing of a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Woodside Energy Ltd (Woodside), a major Australian energy company and shipbuilding and engineering company HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering Co., Ltd. (HD KSOE) and shipping company Hyundai Glovis Co., Ltd. (Hyundai Glovis), both of South Korea, to jointly study the development of shipping solutions to enable bulk marine transportation of liquid hydrogen, which the three companies have been pursuing since 2022.
Hydrogen, a lower-carbon energy source, is attracting a great deal of attention as the world seeks to move toward decarbonization. Demand for the transport of liquefied hydrogen is expected to rise in the coming decades.
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Provaris Energy has obtained design approval from the classification society ABS for its compressed hydrogen carrier H2Neo.
Ship Nerd
Liquefied Hydrogen Carrier
In this project, the participating companies will study the technology, safety, construction, operation, and economics of a carrier with 80,000 m3 tank capacity, with the aim of establishing a liquefied hydrogen supply chain in Asia and other regions. If a project results from the MoU, the parties aspire to have the vessel built and in operation by 2030. The liquefied hydrogen carrier would, under its concept design, use hydrogen as its main fuel, which is anticipated to significantly reduce CO2 emissions during operation.
Liquefied hydrogen takes up about 1/800th the volume of hydrogen gas. While liquefied hydrogen is non-toxic and can be transported safely and efficiently, it must be cooled to -253°C, which requires advanced technology. Woodside, HD KSOE, and Hyundai Glovis have evaluated MOL’s expertise gained through decades of experience in transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) and its various efforts to address decarbonization issues, and approached the company to cooperate in this study, leading to the conclusion of the MoU.
Discussions between the parties contemplate that, if a project results from the MoU, Woodside would be responsible for producing hydrogen and storing it at loading and discharging ports, HD KSOE would design and build the vessel, and Hyundai Glovis and MOL would be responsible for providing ship operational input into the vessel design, including logistics, propulsion, storage, and cargo handling.
The MOL Group has positioned environmental strategy as a key element in its “BLUE ACTION 2035” management plan, and set the target of achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 in the “MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2.” It will contribute to the establishment of a lower-carbon energy supply chain through this joint study. In addition, the group is committed to engaging in the lower-carbon energy business by leveraging its collective strengths, aiming to proactively respond to major shifts in energy supply and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions not only from its own company but also from society at large.
Source: MOL
See Also
ABB will deliver a comprehensive power distribution system for two new-built short-sea hydrogen container ships of the global logistics company Samskip Group headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The vessels will be among the world’s first of their kind to use hydrogen as a fuel. Financial details were not disclosed. The order was booked in the second quarter of 2023.
Built by Cochin Shipyard Ltd, the largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility in India, the 135-meter hydrogen container ships are due for delivery in Q3 and Q4 of 2025, respectively. Both hydrogen container vessels will be operating between Oslo Fjord and Rotterdam, a distance of approximately 700 nautical miles.
New hydrogen container vessels for 2025
ABB has secured a complete power, propulsion, and automation systems order for Samskip Group’s new hydrogen container vessels.
