The 40,000-cu-metre carrier is being developed as the world’s largest vessel of its type. Yokogawa’s automation system will provide integrated monitoring and control of onboard equipment, together with emergency shutdown functions, to support the handling and transportation of liquefied hydrogen at extremely low temperatures.   The system is also designed to improve equipment performance and reduce crew workload through integrated control capabilities over the vessel’s lifecycle.   Yokogawa will also supply integrated automation systems for marine hydrogen fuel systems (MHFS) on the two hydrogen-fuelled vessels.

An MHFS comprises liquefied hydrogen storage tanks and fuel supply equipment. The system integrates control, monitoring and safety functions and is intended to support the use of hydrogen as a marine fuel.

The vessels are being built under a Green Innovation Fund project led by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). The project is aimed at enabling safe, large-scale maritime transportation of liquefied hydrogen and supporting development of the associated supply chain.

Koji Nakaoka, Executive Vice President & Executive Officer and head of the Energy & Sustainability Business Headquarters at Yokogawa Electric, said Yokogawa has extensive experience with liquefied natural gas carriers, and that its technology is also being applied to liquefied hydrogen carriers. He said the company will continue to leverage the technologies and expertise it has developed in control and safety instrumentation to provide solutions supporting the industry’s shift toward hydrogen-based maritime transport.