On Wednesday, Saudi Energy Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, assessed the performance of the Japanese ship “Suiso Frontier”, the world’s first carrier for liquid hydrogen, during his visit to the Islamic Port of Jeddah. Accompanying by Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Investment, Ahmed Al-Hassan, Assistant Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, and Izuru Shimura, Japan’s Consul General in Jeddah.
The port had recently welcomed the Kawasaki-owned ship, coinciding with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia. The vessel represents a milestone in the Japanese technology arena, paving the way for communities intending to use hydrogen (clean energy). It will cooperate with Kawasaki for the low-cost transportation of large quantities of hydrogen through its developed carriers. The aim is to establish expansive global supply chains for hydrogen, and to facilitate its commercial use as a preferred carrier.
The ship was built and developed with the support of the Japanese government for the transportation of significant quantities of liquid hydrogen via sea. The vessel measures 116 meters in length and 19 meters in width. It features a dual tank with a capacity of 1,250 cubic meters, designed to store and maintain hydrogen at a temperature of -253 degrees Celsius.
This comes as part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to stimulate the green hydrogen economy and reinforce its global leadership in the energy sector. It also highlights the readiness of its ports to accommodate such ships, thereby strengthening their position as a global logistics center. The capacity of the Islamic Port of Jeddah and its role in supporting the logistical system has also been underscored.
It’s worth mentioning that the company successfully completed the first shipment and transfer of liquid hydrogen from Australia to Japan in February 2022. They have confirmed the necessity of using technology to efficiently and safely transport large quantities of hydrogen, and to utilize it as a viable next-generation energy source.
Most societies currently rely on energy like petroleum or natural gas, leading to serious environmental problems such as global warming and the threat of depleting natural resources. To avoid these impacts, investment in alternative sources such as “hydrogen energy” is necessary to ensure a stable energy supply and preserve the global environment.
