Energy

Global Energy Ventures moves closer to development of pilot compressed hydrogen ship

Go to Imelda Cotton author's page
By Imelda Cotton - 
Global Energy Ventures ASX GEV global demand green hydrogen zero carbon future Martin Carolan

The European Commission published a recent report noting shipping of compressed hydrogen was the most economic transport process – a similar result to Global Energy Ventures’ scoping study.

Copied

A concept plan for a pilot compressed hydrogen (CH-2) ship by Global Energy Ventures (ASX: GEV) has moved a step closer to development with the completion of a detailed work package for review by the shipping regulator.

Ship specification engineering and drawings, stability analysis and tank design calculations have been submitted to the American Bureau of Shipping with Approval-in-Principle (AIP) expected by the end of the current quarter.

AIP is intended to provide developers of conceptual and innovative shipbuilding and shipping process solutions with an expert assessment of their technical documentation in the initial design stages.

The process assesses the design in relation to international codes and standards to ensure there are no major engineering, regulatory or safety issues.

Global Energy Ventures is leveraging the AIP received in March for a proposed 2,000-tonne CH-2 vessel to fast-track AIP for the 430t pilot and to ultimately target full-class approvals in late 2022.

Managing director Martin Carolan said securing AIP for the containment system earlier than planned was a critical de-risking milestone for the company’s C-H2 supply chain strategy.

“This approval results from our team’s engineering efforts over the past year and is a major step forward in the overall approval process for our C-H2 supply chain,” he said.

“This unique compressed hydrogen containment system provides a low-cost solution for the marine transportation and export of large volumes of hydrogen.”

Hydrogen permeability

Canadian company C-FER Technologies recently completed an independent analysis of hydrogen permeability which supports Global’s CH-2 design assumptions and the selection of a stainless steel inner liner for the pilot ship.

C-FER is now supporting the selection of carbon steel and welding techniques in preparation for prototype construction and testing next year.

Commercialisation activities

Mr Carolan said the pilot CH-2 ship would be the first commercial-scale vessel available for the marine transport of hydrogen and supports the company’s commercialisation activities.

Those activities include a recently-announced zero carbon hydrogen feasibility study for the HyEnergy project with partners Province Resources (ASX: PRL) and independent power producer Total Eren.

Located in WA’s Gascoyne region, the project focuses on the export of green hydrogen to South East Asian markets using Global’s CH-2 shipping and supply chain technology.