A consortium consisting of GTT, TotalEnergies, LMG Marin, and Bureau Veritas has signed an agreement to develop a vessel for transporting liquid hydrogen, a gas considered crucial for decarbonization but facing infrastructure issues.
The project is designed to transport up to 150,000 cubic meters of liquefied hydrogen by sea. GTT, a liquefied gas storage specialist, will design the membrane containment system, while TotalEnergies will specify the vessel’s requirements. LMG Marin will design a hydrogenic concept based on the specifications defined by TotalEnergies, and Bureau Veritas will carry out a risk assessment and regulatory review.
Hydrogen must be cooled to -253°C to reach a liquid state, posing new storage challenges and insulation requirements for tanks. In the gaseous state, the hydrogen molecule is highly volatile and easily escapes, contributing to the challenges of infrastructure and cost that the gas faces. However, proponents of hydrogen argue that it is a response to decarbonization imperatives in transport and industry.
In the future, continents like Europe or some Asian countries may need to import hydrogen to supplement domestic production, according to GTT. Its large-scale transport by sea in liquefied form is considered one of the key technological challenges facing the industry.
The consortium’s collaboration aims to reduce risks and accelerate the deployment of the hydrogen value chain. “GTT’s ability to design a breakthrough technology adapted to the size of a very large vessel is a major step forward for the development of the hydrogen sector,” said Philippe Berterottière, CEO of GTT.
The vessel, named “hydrogener,” represents a significant technological advance that addresses a key infrastructure issue, enabling the transportation of hydrogen on a large scale. The project offers promising opportunities for the future, making it an area to watch in the hydrogen industry.
