"In 1981, Kawasaki became the first Asian company to manufacture a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, and now as the world's first company to complete a liquefied hydrogen carrier it will further its efforts toward achieving a Hydrogen Society," the statement said.
According to the company, the carrier aims to safely transport large volumes of liquefied hydrogen, cooled to -253 degrees Celsius (-423.4 degrees Fahrenheit), over long distances by sea. However, the company is still working to install a liquified hydrogen storage tank on the ship and will complete the vessel's construction by late 2020.
"Once complete, the SUISO FRONTIER will be used for technology demonstration testing in Japanese FY 2020 aimed at the establishment of an international hydrogen energy supply chain in which liquified hydrogen produced in Australia will be shipped to Japan," the company said.
Hydrogen is considered to be a key next-generation energy source that can combat global warming, as it does not emit CO2 or other greenhouse gases. Several Japanese companies, including Kawasaki Heavy Industries, established the CO2-free Hydrogen Energy Supply-chain Technology Research Association to make the use of hydrogen as a fuel source as common as petroleum and natural gas.
