Lloyd’s Register awards AiP for world’s first vacuum-insulated large-scale liquid hydrogen tank system

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., Ltd. (HD KSOE) for its pioneering vacuum-insulated large-scale liquid hydrogen (LH₂) tank system.

The successful testing of a large-scale vacuum chamber for this AiP also marked the world’s first technical validation of large-scale LH₂ tank insulation design.

The vacuum insulation system addresses some of the most pressing challenges of using hydrogen in the maritime industry: the scalability of liquefied hydrogen storage and transportation of the fuel.

Storing liquid hydrogen at -253°C while minimising boil-off gas requires vacuum-insulated tanks similar to thermos flasks, but achieving this on a large scale in ships is technically unproven. For example, NASA’s largest existing LH₂ tank holds 5,000 m³, yet ship-based applications may require tanks over four times larger.

HD KSOE’s vacuum system provides an innovative solution that drastically reduces the time required to achieve a vacuum in large tanks.

Global hydrogen industry participants, including Woodside Energy, Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), and Hyundai Glovis, contributed to the design development and validation. The system and test results were shared with these companies and international classification societies, including LR, who confirmed a significant reduction in vacuum time in shipyards.

In collaboration with HD KSOE, LR undertook rigorous design assessments and performance verifications of the soft vacuum insulation system, in line with its classification rules and international standards for gas ships.

Sung-Gu Park, President of LR North East Asia, said: “Lloyd’s Register is proud to work with HD KSOE on this transformative development. As a trusted partner in maritime innovation, this AiP not only reinforces LR’s commitment to advancing sustainable solutions for decarbonisation but also sets a new benchmark for the maritime industry.”

Dr Byeongyong Yoo, Vice President at HD KSOE, said: “HD KSOE has been dedicated to providing technological solutions for large-scale energy shipping such as LNG, LPG, Ammonia, CO2, and now hydrogen. 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, said: “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 Management 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.”

Mr Chi-O KWON, Vice President at Hyundai Glovis said: “HD KSOE is honoured to achieve this remarkable milestone as the world’s first to successfully verify tank scale-up. This breakthrough demonstrates the dedication and innovation of the research. We hope it serves as a foundation for future advancements in the field.”