By Ko Terada / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. has signed a contract to build what will be, at the time of completion, one of the world's largest liquefied hydrogen carrier. The vessel, which will be capable of transporting up to 40,000 cubic meters of hydrogen, is scheduled for completion in 2030. The company aims to secure the ability to transport large volumes of hydrogen domestically and internationally, allowing it to lead the world in establishing a hydrogen supply chain.

The contracted liquefied hydrogen carrier will measure 250 meters long and 35 meters wide and is planned to be constructed at the company's factory in Sakaide, Kagawa Prefecture. The value of the contract remains undisclosed. This project forms part of a larger initiative, supported by the government, which seeks to demonstrate the commercialization of a liquefied hydrogen supply chain.

The gaseous hydrogen will be cooled to minus 253 C and compressed to one-eight-hundredth of its volume, and it will be transported in large, highly insulated tanks. The ship will be powered by an oil-burning engine. There are also plans to fuel it with hydrogen gas. Once the ship is built, it will be used to determine whether large quantities of hydrogen can be safely transported while maintaining ultra-low temperatures, part of the larger demonstration initiative.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries built the world's first dedicated liquefied hydrogen carrier, the "Suiso Frontier," in 2021, with the ability to carry 1,250 cubic meters of hydrogen, more than any other ship past or present. The capacity of the new ship will be 32 times greater. The company said in a statement that its purpose in designing and building the ship is "to respond to the global demand for hydrogen anticipated in the 2030s." It also aims for the ship to "provide the foundation for the future hydrogen supply chain."

Chinese and South Korean players currently dominate the global market for shipbuilding. Interest in liquefied hydrogen carriers, an area where Japan has been in the lead, is also growing worldwide. The South Korean government has announced plans to build its own large liquefied hydrogen carrier by 2027, and Chinese players are also expected to enter the market in earnest going forward.

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This article is from The Yomiuri Shimbun. Neither Dow Jones Newswires, MarketWatch, Barron's nor The Wall Street Journal were involved in the creation of this content.

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January 08, 2026 04:44 ET (09:44 GMT)

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