SHI wins ABS approval for new LH2 carrier design
Written by Nick Blenkey
Image: Samsubg Heavy Industries
ABS has issued general design approval (GDA) to Samsung Heavy Industries Co. (SHI) for its detailed design of a liquefied hydrogen (LH2) carrier.
The 20,000 cubic meter capacity LH2 carrier features Type C tanks. ABS completed design reviews based on class and statutory requirements.
“Through this joint development project, SHI secured a detailed design for a liquefied hydrogen cargo containment system and cargo handling system. SHI plans to prepare for commercialization of liquefied hydrogen carriers following a mock-up verification,” said Ho-Ki Lee, SHI vice president, Green Energy Technology Center.
“Hydrogen is a key enabler of the clean energy economy. In decarbonizing different industry sectors, hydrogen plays critical roles as a fuel, feedstock, energy storage and load balancing. As the demand for hydrogen grows, vessels like the design from SHI will be critical for its transportation and development of the hydrogen value chain,” said Gareth Burton, ABS senior vice president, global engineering.
The 20,000 cubic meter capacity of the Samsung Heavy Industries LH2 carrier design is substantially greater than the 1,240 cubic meter capacity of the world’s first LH2 carrier, the Suiso Frontier launched by Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries in 2021.
We can expect progressively larger designs to emerge as shipowners gear up for a projected steep growth in demand. The International Energy Agency reports that the number of announced projects for low-emission hydrogen production is rapidly expanding. Annual production of low-emission hydrogen could reach 38 Mt in 2030, if all announced projects are realized.
All that hydrogen has to go somewhere — much of it by ship.
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