Suiso Frontier
 Port aft view of the Suiso Frontier at the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Kobe Shipyard on October 18, 2020
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Japan | |
| Name | Suiso Frontier |
| Route | Japan-Australia |
| Builder | Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd |
| Launched | December 11, 2019 |
| Homeport | Kobe |
| Identification | IMO number: 9860154 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Liquid carrier |
| Tonnage | 8,000 GT |
| Length | 116 m (381 ft) |
| Depth | 10.6 m (35 ft) (molded) |
| Propulsion | Diesel-electric |
| Speed | 13.0 knots (24.1 km/h; 15.0 mph)[1] |
| Capacity | 1,250 m3 (44,000 cu ft) |
| Crew | 25[1] |
The Suiso Frontier (Japanese: すいそ ふろんてぃあ, "Hydrogen Frontier") is the world's first liquid hydrogen carrier ship.[2]
Design and construction
The Suiso Frontier was built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, following support by the governments of Japan and Australia. The ship carries liquid hydrogen, the first load of which was extracted from brown coal in Australia and carried to Kobe, Japan.[3] As a prototype, she is planned to lead to a commercial liquid hydrogen sometime in the mid-2020s.[4]
Although the first in service, a liquid hydrogen carrier ship is not a unique design. Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering of South Korea and the Wilhelmsen Group of Norway both have designs for a ship of the same type, the latter being a roll-on/roll-off vessel. A joint design by Canada's Ballard Power Systems and Australia's Global Energy Ventures is currently developing a ship where hydrogen is transported in a compressed gas form.[4]
Kawasaki Heavy Industries is a member of HySTRA and, along with Iwatani, Shell, and Electric Power Development, plans to promote hydrogen as a fuel source.[5]
The ship carries a double shielded and double insulated 1,250 cubic-meter tank to both hold and maintain hydrogen at a temperature of -253 degrees Celsius.[4] She is 116 meters long, displaced 8,000 gross tons, molded breadth of 62 feet, molded depth of 35 feet and a molded draft of 15 feet.[1] Its diesel-electric propulsion provides a top speed of 13 knots maintained by a crew of 25.[6]
The hydrogen's production plan quickly drew criticism for its management of the carbon dioxide that will be created as a byproduct.[7]
Service history
On December 24, 2021, she left Japan for a two week trip to Port of Hastings, Australia,[6] which is expected to return to Japan in mid February 2022 with her first cargo.[3] Her trip was extended to 16 days as the vessel avoided bad weather and rough seas.[8]
Gallery
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Port side of the Suiso Frontier at the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Kobe Shipyards on October 18, 2020 -
Port aft view of the Suiso Frontier at the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Kobe Shipyard on October 18, 2020
References
- ^ a b c Linder, Courtney (2019-12-17). "First Liquid Hydrogen Carrier Sets Sail in Japan". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 2022-02-01.
- ^ "News & Events".
- ^ a b "Kawasaki Heavy says liquefied hydrogen carrier departs Japan for Australia". Asia Pacific. Reuters. 24 December 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ a b c Saul, Jonathan (2021-05-11). "Too cold to handle? Race is on to pioneer shipping of hydrogen". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-02-01.
- ^ "World's 1st LH2 carrier Suiso Frontier picks up maiden cargo". 21 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Video: World's First Hydrogen Carrier Departs Japan on Maiden Voyage". The Maritime Executive. Retrieved 2022-02-01.
- ^ Mustoe, Howard (21 January 2022). "Australian plan to make hydrogen using coal and ship it to Japan comes under fire". The Telegraph. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ Paul, Sonali (2022-01-21). "World's first hydrogen tanker to ship test cargo to Japan from Australia". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-02-01.