KR grants world’s first AIP to HD KSOE for pioneering large-scale liquid hydrogen tank vacuum system

KR (Korean Register) has awarded the world's first Approval in Principle (AIP) to HD KSOE for its breakthrough vacuum-insulated large-scale liquid hydrogen tank system, marking a significant advancement in clean energy transportation technology. The AIP follows the successful completion of validation tests, demonstrating the system’s feasibility and innovative design.

The transition to a hydrogen-based society demands advanced technologies for the large-scale transportation and storage of hydrogen. However, the extreme cryogenic conditions required for liquid hydrogen storage at –253°C have long posed significant challenges.

HD KSOE has independently developed a vacuum-insulated liquid hydrogen tank system that addresses key challenges by introducing cutting-edge solutions. This innovative system dramatically reduces the time required to create a vacuum in large tanks, shortening the process from several months to just a few days.

Last December, HD KSOE collaborated with leading global hydrogen industry stakeholders, including Woodside Energy, Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), and Hyundai Glovis, to conduct rigorous validation tests. These tests marked a groundbreaking achievement as the world’s first successful demonstration of the feasibility of scaling up liquid hydrogen tanks, while dramatically reducing vacuum processing time.

KR evaluated the system's compliance with domestic and international standards, confirming its effectiveness and stability and granting the AIP as a result.

KIM Daeheon, Executive Vice President of KR's R&D Division, commented: "This AIP reflects HD KSOE's technological excellence and highlights the promising potential of the hydrogen industry. KR remains committed to supporting the safety and technological progress of this vital sector."

"HD KSOE has been dedicated to providing technological solutions for large-scale energy shipping such as LNG, LPG, Ammonia, CO2, and now hydrogen," said YOO Byeongyong, Vice President at HD KSOE. "This hydrogen vacuum system solution and large-scale validation test are part of these efforts. We will continue collaborating with leading global companies to drive the energy transition and achieve net-zero goals."

Jason Crusan, VP Energy Solutions at Woodside Energy, highlighted the significance of this achievement: "This is a key achievement which builds confidence that liquid hydrogen ships can be efficiently designed and constructed in a shipyard environment."

Jotaro Tamura, Senior Managing Executive Officer at MOL, added: "This verification test was a major milestone in the study of transporting liquefied hydrogen, where one of the major issues was the need to increase the size of the tank, and is an important step towards commercialization."

KWON Chi-O, Vice President at Hyundai Glovis said: "Achieving this remarkable milestone as the world’s first to successfully verify tank scale-up, HD KSOE has demonstrated the dedication and innovation of the research. We hope this achievement serves as a strong foundation for future advancements in the field."