Hanwha Ocean announced that it has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from the Norwegian classification society Det Norske Veritas (DNV) for its 80,000m³ liquefied hydrogen carrier with an electric propulsion system. The presentation ceremony was held in Houston at Gastech 2024.

Liquefied hydrogen is a key element of the “hydrogen economy,” a system that uses hydrogen as a primary energy source, due to its advantages in transportation and storage compared to gaseous hydrogen.

With global efforts underway to develop technologies for the storage and transport of liquefied hydrogen, the demand for large liquefied hydrogen carriers is expected to increase as maritime transportation of liquefied hydrogen expands.

The liquefied hydrogen carrier that received AiP generates electricity by utilizing boil-off gas (BOG) from its cargo tanks, ensuring zero carbon emissions.

To develop this liquefied hydrogen carrier, Hanwha Ocean signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CB&I in 2022. Last year, DNV also joined the collaboration through a joint development project to conduct extensive research on the vessel's basic performance, structural safety, cargo handling system, and the application of electric propulsion systems powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

CB&I has over 60years of experience in storage facility manufacturing and successfully built the world’s largest liquid hydrogen storage tank at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

"Hanwha Ocean’s expertise in gas carriers and CB&I’s knowledge of large-scale liquid hydrogen storage and handling systems complement each other perfectly," said Mark Butts, Senior Vice President of CB&I. "We have significantly contributed to expanding the liquid hydrogen supply chain by developing the safest and most efficient liquid hydrogen carrier with a boil-off rate of just 0.05% per day."

A Hanwha Ocean spokesperson added, "With this AiP, we will focus on developing larger liquefied hydrogen carriers exceeding 160,000 m³, as well as vessels equipped with diverse eco-friendly propulsion systems, to achieve technological leadership in the industry.”