CB&I, McDermott’s storage business, has recently been granted Approval in Principle for its liquid hydrogen cargo containment system by DNV, a renowned classification society for shipping. In collaboration with Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited, CB&I has developed safe LH2 shipping solutions to support hydrogen energy supply chains.
The AiP confirms that the containment system complies with relevant safety standards, including class rules, the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk, and the Interim Recommendations for Carriage of Liquefied Hydrogen in Bulk, issued by the International Maritime Organisation. As part of the AiP process, a Hazard Identification risk assessment was conducted to identify and address potential hazards and uncertainties associated with the containment system.
Cesar Canals, senior vice president of CB&I, expressed excitement about the approval, stating that it marks a significant milestone in making large-scale liquid hydrogen storage and transport more cost-effective. He also mentioned the opportunities this breakthrough technology presents for advancing the hydrogen energy supply chain.
Steve Brown, technology manager at Shell, highlighted the importance of this milestone and the collaboration between innovative companies in the sector. Demonstrating the potential of liquid hydrogen as a viable energy carrier is crucial for supporting the energy transition.
Ivar Håberg, director of approval, ship classification at DNV, expressed delight at being involved in the AiP process. He emphasised the significance of confidently pursuing new technologies while prioritising safety and commended CB&I for assessing their innovative solution against established and trusted standards.
CB&I’s containment system design is based on their well-established vacuum-insulated spherical technology used for onshore LH2 storage. Having designed and constructed over 130 large LH2 storage tanks worldwide in the past six decades, CB&I brings extensive experience to the energy transition industry, offering an economical and low-risk shipping solution with optimal time to market. The design is expected to be scalable, with a capacity of up to 40,000 m3 per tank and estimated minimal boiloff rates. The integration of the cargo containment system into a concept vessel design by Houlder aims to address the energy density challenge, taking advantage of LH2’s properties to maximise energy onboard.
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