South Korea wants to build ‘world’s largest’ liquefied hydrogen carrier

South Korea is planning to construct the ‘world’s largest’ liquefied hydrogen carrier to enhance the country’s competitiveness in the market and support the future of the Korean shipbuilding industry. The government aims to complete the demonstration ship by 2027 and has allocated KRW 55.5 billion ($39.2 million) for this project in the current year. A public-private promotion group has been established by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE) to oversee the development of the LH2 carrier, which is considered a future-oriented vessel that will boost the Korean shipbuilding industry. The carrier will be able to liquefy gaseous hydrogen at extremely low temperatures, significantly reducing its volume and improving transport efficiency. This initiative is part of a larger strategy introduced last year to help the local shipbuilding industry succeed in the LH2 carrier market and set global standards for the technology being developed.