Partnership Formed: GTT, TotalEnergies, LMG Marin, and Bureau Veritas Collaborate to Create a Massive Liquid Hydrogen Transport Vessel
In a significant stride towards decarbonizing hard-to-electrify industries and powering sustainable solutions for heavy-duty mobility, long-distance aviation, maritime shipping, and more, four industry-leading companies have joined forces. GTT, TotalEnergies, LMG Marin, and Bureau Veritas have announced a partnership to develop a 150,000 m³ capacity liquid hydrogen carrier.
The partnership, announced on April 27, 2023, in Paris, aims to create a concept design for a large-scale liquid hydrogen carrier fitted with GTT's membrane-type containment system. This system has already proven its efficiency and safety in LNG bunker vessels, such as the Gas Vitality and Gas Agility, operated or supported by TotalEnergies, and certified by Bureau Veritas.
LMG Marin will define the concept design of the LH carrier, taking into account the specifications provided by TotalEnergies and the constraints related to the membrane containment system. The focus will be on safety and environmental standards, with Bureau Veritas conducting a risk assessment and reviewing the design to ensure it meets regulatory requirements and their rules.
GTT will design the membrane containment system, tailoring it to the unique challenges of liquefied hydrogen. The partnership also marks a significant step forward for the hydrogen sector, according to Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and CEO of GTT.
Vincent Rudelle, Managing Director of LMG Marin France, expressed optimism about the partnership, while Matthieu de Tugny, President of Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, expressed pleasure about joining the partnership. They all share a common goal: to ensure the project meets the highest safety and environmental standards.
TotalEnergies will work on defining the vessel's specifications, including the operational profile, and will contribute to the development of a clean hydrogen supply chain by enabling the efficient and safe transportation of hydrogen at sea.
The ability to transport large volumes of hydrogen by sea in liquefied form is a major technological challenge. The HYDRA project, the world's first vessel powered by liquid hydrogen currently in operation in Norway, demonstrates the potential of this technology. Mansur Zhakupov, VP of Hydrogen at TotalEnergies, emphasized the importance of industry collaboration for de-risking and accelerating the deployment of the hydrogen value chain.
Bureau Veritas recognizes its responsibility to support the safe development of innovative hydrogen projects. The partnership involving these four industry-leading companies is a testament to the collective effort required to drive the transition towards a sustainable energy future.
To stay updated on the progress of this project, it is recommended to follow official press releases or websites of GTT, TotalEnergies, LMG Marin, and Bureau Veritas, monitor industry news platforms specialized in hydrogen, LNG shipping, and maritime innovation, and look for recent trade show materials or conference presentations. Additionally, searching for patents or technical papers published by these companies discussing large-scale liquid hydrogen carriers could provide valuable insights.
- The partnership between GTT, TotalEnergies, LMG Marin, and Bureau Veritas reveals a commitment to finance and support the development of renewable-energy, specifically focusing on the energy transition of hard-to-electrify industries and sustainable solutions for heavy-duty mobility.
- Technology plays a crucial role in this undertaking, as demonstrated by the use of data-and-cloud-computing to design and assess the safety and environmental impact of the 150,000 m³ capacity liquid hydrogen carrier, which is a significant advancement for the industry.
- Moreover, the collaboration paves the way for fostering a robust finance-driven renewable-energy industry, as it accelerates the deployment of a clean hydrogen supply chain, contributing to the larger goal of an energy transition and a sustainable energy future.
