Japanese Shipbuilders Launch Joint Study on Hydrogen Carriers

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Wednesday June 4, 2025

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Imabari Shipbuilding and Japan Marine United Corporation have joined forces to explore a new construction scheme for liquefied hydrogen carriers.

The study aims to efficiently combine each company's strengths, ranging from advanced facilities to skilled workforces, to support the development of future hydrogen transport vessels, Kawasaki said in a statement on its website on Monday.

The project builds on Kawasaki's experience with Suiso Frontier, the world's first commercial liquefied hydrogen carrier. The vessel is capable of transporting hydrogen at –253°C, a cryogenic temperature necessary to keep the fuel in liquid form.

As Japan pushes toward a carbon-neutral future, such vessels are seen as critical infrastructure for enabling the mass transport of hydrogen.

Through this collaboration, the shipbuilders aim to establish a scalable model for hydrogen carrier construction, strengthening their partnership and supporting the broader hydrogen supply chain.