Japan's MOL to explore liquid hydrogen transportation
SUMMARY
MOL will work with Australian energy firm Woodside, HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering, and Hyundai Glovis, a Korean shipping company. [Image: HD KSOE]
By Shardul SharmaMitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), a Japanese shipping company, has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Australian energy firm Woodside, HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), and Hyundai Glovis, a Korean shipping company, to jointly investigate the marine transportation of liquid hydrogen, it said on February 14.
The collaboration aims to explore the feasibility and potential of establishing a liquefied hydrogen supply chain in Asia and other regions.
In this project, the participating companies will conduct a study encompassing technology, safety, construction, operation, and economics of a carrier featuring an 80,000 m³ tank capacity dedicated to liquid hydrogen.
Should the outcomes of the MoU lead to a project, the parties aspire to have the liquefied hydrogen carrier constructed and operational by the year 2030. The carrier, based on its conceptual design, is set to utilise hydrogen as its primary fuel source, presenting a significant reduction in CO2 emissions during its operational phase, as highlighted by MOL.
Woodside will play a role in the project by undertaking the production and storage of hydrogen at loading and discharging ports. HD KSOE will be responsible for the design and construction of the vessel. Hyundai Glovis and MOL will contribute their operational insights into the vessel's design, encompassing logistics, propulsion, storage, and cargo handling.
