Japan's Kawasaki Heavy builds world’s liquid hydrogen tanker

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. has now developed the world’s first liquified hydrogen tanker expected to be used for Japan's goal of utilizing hydrogen and ammonia as the fuel for 10 percent of electric power generation by 2050.

Dubbed the Suiso Frontier, which was constructed in Kobe, the 116 meters long tanker was shown to media representatives on May 24.

The tanker can transport 75 tons of liquified hydrogen kept at temperatures of minus 253 degrees.

The company also developed tanks to store liquified hydrogen as rocket fuel.

Kawasaki plans to transport the first load of liquified hydrogen from Australia by spring 2022. The company has already installed equipment at Kobe Port to unload liquified hydrogen from the tanker and tanks on land.

Tests are being conducted in conjunction with J-Power and Iwatani Corp., and about $368 million is being set aside for the project.

Japan intends to import 20 million tons of liquified hydrogen imports n 2050, including fuel in motor vehicles, which is about 5,000 times the volume imported in 2020.

Kawasaki Heavy will build 80 tankers to transport 9 million tons of liquified hydrogen.

Other nations have also joined the race to construct liquified hydrogen tankers.

Kawasaki Heavy is a pioneer in transporting liquified natural gas.