China's First 6,000-m³ Marine Liquid Hydrogen Tank Receives Classification Approval

China's first principle approval for a 6,000-m³ marine liquid hydrogen spherical tank has been granted to a tank developed by the 101 Research Institute of the Sixth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), marking an important milestone in the country's development of large-scale liquid hydrogen storage and transportation technology.

The approval, issued by the China Classification Society (CCS), is the first of its kind in China for a marine liquid hydrogen spherical tank. It fills a domestic certification gap and provides technical support for the future commercialization of marine liquid hydrogen transportation.

The certified 6,000-m³ liquid hydrogen spherical tank is currently the largest of its kind in China to receive principle approval. Designed for large-scale liquid hydrogen storage, the tank features high pressure resistance, a compact spherical structure with a relatively low surface-area-to-volume ratio, and enhanced operational safety, making it suitable for large-scale hydrogen storage and transportation applications.

Liquid hydrogen is regarded as a key solution for transporting hydrogen over long distances because of its high energy density and suitability for large-scale storage. It is expected to play an important role in supporting the expansion of the hydrogen economy and future international hydrogen trade.

According to the institute, its research team has built on years of expertise in liquid hydrogen technologies by participating in the development of industry certification standards, overcoming key technical challenges, and completing validation tests under a wide range of operating conditions to ensure the safety, reliability and practicality of the tank.

The institute said the approval is expected to facilitate the development of an ocean-going liquid hydrogen transportation chain and support the commercialization of hydrogen shipping in China. Building on this achievement, the 101 Research Institute will continue developing core liquid hydrogen storage and transportation technologies, further improve product performance, expand its product portfolio, and promote the industrial application of hydrogen storage and transportation equipment.