Lloyd’s Register, Pusan National University to advance liquefied hydrogen carrier technology

UK-based classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Hydrogen Ship Technology Center at Pusan National University (PNU) in Korea to advance liquefied hydrogen carrier technology and cryogenic engineering.

As disclosed, the two parties will collaborate across a wide range of activities, including joint research and technology development, the exchange of technical expertise, international academic cooperation and shared policy development.

LR claimed the agreement represents a step forward in accelerating the commercialization of liquefied hydrogen carriers and ensuring that they are designed, built and operated to the highest international safety and performance standards.

The classification society said that PNU is helping to address the challenge, pointing out the university’s role in the Hydro Ocean K project, which it describes as the “world’s largest” liquefied hydrogen carrier currently in development.

Sung-Gu Park, President – North East Asia, Lloyd’s Register, commented: “We have taken an important first step towards the development of liquefied hydrogen carriers and cryogenic engineering technology. This agreement will serve as a significant turning point, allowing us to advance in the key areas of the future hydrogen economy through differentiated international exchange activities based on world-class cryogenic technology.”

Jae-Myung Lee, Director of the Hydrogen Ship Technology Center, stated: “The collaboration between our university and Lloyd’s Register is a differentiated international exchange activity based on world-class ultra-low temperature technology. It will be an important turning point for further advancement in the utilisation of liquid hydrogen, a key field in the future hydrogen economy. We will make joint efforts to create synergies in the development of ultra-low temperature research, an unexplored field for human society.”

In other news, LR joined forces with Queensland-based ship design group Seatransport and Houston-based engineering company Deployable Energy to develop nuclear power generation for a wide array of applications in the maritime industry.

Claudene Sharp-Patel, Lloyd’s Register’s Global Technical Director, spotlighted that nuclear technology possesses “tremendous” potential, citing it as a “safe, insurable and scalable” solution for shipping.