GTT has been granted two Approvals in Principle from the leading classification society DNV for the design of a membrane type containment system for liquefied hydrogen  and for the preliminary concept design of a LH₂ carrier. These approvals are part of the agreement with Shell, announced in February 2022, and pave the way for the next stages of the project.

As part of the energy transition to a carbon-free future, the ability to transport very large volumes of hydrogen in liquefied form at -253°C is one of the technological challenges to establishing a reliable, efficient and competitive hydrogen supply chain.

The approvals in principle issued by DNV validate GTT’s technological advances in LH₂ containment and the preliminary design of a LH₂ carrier.

The GTT Group has designed a LH₂ containment system that meets current regulatory requirements and anticipates future developments, as requirements for the transport and cargo of hydrogen are being developed by the International Maritime Organisation.

Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and CEO of GTT, said: “We are very proud to have received these approvals from DNV, with whom GTT has had a close partnership for many years. Our LH₂ carrier development project with Shell is very promising and this first step confirms the reliability and relevance of our solutions as well as our determination to make this technology viable and quickly available to maritime transport and energy players.”

Johan Petter Tutturen, Vice President Business Development Manager CO₂ and H₂ Carriers of DNV Maritime, said: “We are very pleased to have been asked by GTT to work on these AiP. Hydrogen, as an energy carrier and a fuel, is potentially one of the foundations of the energy transition. As such it is essential that industry is able to pursue the enabling technologies safely and with confidence. An AiP can help build this confidence by demonstrating that new solutions have been assessed based on long-standing, trusted and independent standards.”

Carl Henrickson, General Manager Shipping & Maritime Technology, Innovation & Digitalisation of Shell International Trading and Shipping Company said: “Shell is excited to be collaborating with GTT to deliver this ground breaking work. As we see it development of LH₂ cargo containment systems is a key enabler to accelerating the energy transition for hard to abate sectors. We have been working with GTT since the early days of the first LNG carrier development, and it is great to see how their expertise can be applied to enabling liquid hydrogen transport. The efforts made by all to get this new membrane containment system through this key development hurdle has been considerable and a testament to the great working relationship between all involved. This technology will support the safe and efficient scaling of bulk liquid hydrogen transport by sea, which in turn will help unlock hydrogen as a fuel source for the future.”