GEV receives AiP for Handymax hydrogen carrier design

Australian energy company Global Energy Ventures (GEV) has secured approval in principle (AiP) from classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for compressed hydrogen carrier design with a 430-tonne cargo capacity.

As informed, ABS granted the AiP following a review of GEV’s design in accordance with the ABS “Guidance Notes on Review and Approval of Novel Concepts” incorporating relevant principles from the ABS guides.

GEV’s Handymax design will be able to enter most ports and will be equipped with a dual-fuel engine powering generators coupled to two electric drive fixed pitch propellers or a dynamic positioning system.

The AIP for the design, which GEV intends to be the first commercial-scale vessel available for the marine transport of hydrogen, follows an ABS AiP which GEV received in July this year for a compressed hydrogen vessel with a 2,000-tonne capacity.

“Hydrogen has a significant role to play in global decarbonization initiatives both within shipping and the wider economy. Safe and efficient transport of hydrogen at sea will be critical to the development of the infrastructure required for its wider adoption and we are proud to be able to support GEV with its innovative designs,” said Georgios Plevrakis, ABS Director, Global Sustainability.

“Marine storage and transport solutions are required for hydrogen to contribute to global decarbonization ambitions,” Martin Carolan, Managing Director and CEO, added.

GEV revealed the design of a new compressed hydrogen ship (H2 Ship) tailored for the transport of zero-carbon energy late last year. In order to meet net-zero emissions targets by 2050, Global Energy targets to host an operating fleet of compressed hydrogen carriers by the mid-2020s.

Meanwhile, the company has teamed up with HyEnergy partners whereby its pilot CH-2 ship will be used as a base case in a feasibility study for the transport of green hydrogen to markets in the Asia-Pacific. Since then, GEV has moved forward with its plans to establish a hydrogen supply chain with the development of a green hydrogen export project located on the Tiwi Islands, Australia.