Japanese transportation firm Mitsui O.S.K. Line (MOL) and nuclear power company Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) plan to jointly study liquid hydrogen carrier vessels.

Having signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the companies will study and review vessels and operations in the liquid hydrogen supply chain, in addition to international laws and regulations.

Set to cover the overseas production of renewable hydrogen, to liquid transportation via ship to use in industry and power generation, the pair hope to contribute to establishing Japan’s hydrogen supply chain.

MOL has rapidly been pursuing work on building liquid hydrogen carrier vessels. In September, its ship design, developed as part of a consortium, was handed an Approval in Principle (AiP) by DNV.

Read more:HD KSOE’s liquid hydrogen carrier vessel secures AiP from DNV

The consortium, which includes Woodside Energy, HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering (KD KSOE), and Hyundai Glovis, aims to build and operate the vessel by 2030. It is expected to carry up to 80,000m3 of hydrogen.

Japan is looking to dramatically ramp up its clean hydrogen supplies, primarily looking to imports to meet demand.

A 2023 Hydrogen Council report said Japan would need to replace its current LNG and coal imports with hydrogen and derived fuels alongside wind and solar developments to decarbonise.

Read more: Japan to rely on imported hydrogen and ammonia forecasts Hydrogen Council

The report said the country would need to import hydrogen to meet its power needs, forecasting over 16% of the nation’s electricity generation capacity could come from imported hydrogen and ammonia by 2050.