Vopak JV Proposes Using Existing Tanker Fleet for Hydrogen Transport

The technology uses the thermal oil benzyl toluene as the hydrogen carrier. Image Credit: Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies

A new joint venture between Vopak and Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies plans to develop a hydrogen supply network that could use existing tankers to transport the alternative fuel.

The new joint venture, LOHC Logistix, will base its work on the Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier technology from Hydrogenious, Vopak said in an emailed statement on Wednesday. Vopak has held a stake of about 10% in Hydrogenious since 2019.

The technology uses the thermal oil benzyl toluene as the hydrogen carrier, allowing the product to be handled as a liquid fuel with existing infrastructure at ambient temperature and pressure.

The use of existing tankers and infrastructure for hydrogen logistics could reduce the risk of stranded assets in the shipping industry in the event of a rapid shift away from fossil fuel use.

"Worldwide there exists a huge capacity of storage tanks, sea vessels, inland tankers and tank trucks for the storage and transportation of liquid fossil fuels," Daniel Teichmann, CEO of Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies, said in the statement.

"Hydrogenious wants to turn all this valuable infrastructure into the hydrogen infrastructure of the future using our LOHC technology.

"Ever since Vopak's investment in our company we have worked very closely together in developing and establishing clean hydrogen value chains.

"With the build-up of LOHC plants in Chempark Dormagen and Rotterdam we will establish a green hydrogen supply chain that we see as a blueprint for a future even more comprehensive network across Europe and the Middle East and beyond."