Kawasaki Launches Development of World’s Largest Liquefied Hydrogen Loading Arm with a Nominal Diameter of 12 Inches or More - Developing core equipment to support greater future liquefied hydrogen supply chain capacity -
Nov. 04, 2026
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Kawasaki) announced that it has begun development of a large-scale liquefied hydrogen loading arm with a nominal diameter of 12 inches or more (the Development) to accommodate the future expansion of liquefied hydrogen supply chains. Kawasaki aims to launch the product in fiscal 2033.
Once completed, the loading arm, with a nominal diameter of 12 inches or more, is expected to be the world’s largest loading arm for liquefied hydrogen service.
As liquefied hydrogen supply chains move toward large-scale commercial deployment, efficiently transporting and receiving large volumes of liquefied hydrogen imported from overseas will be essential to meeting growing hydrogen demand. Along with larger liquefied hydrogen carriers, greater ship-to-shore cargo handling capacity will be crucial, and large-scale liquefied hydrogen loading arms are expected to serve as core equipment in this infrastructure.
The Development will build on the expertise gained through the joint development of a commercial-specification 6-inch liquefied hydrogen loading arm*1 and draw on technologies cultivated in the fields of hydrogen and cryogenics to address technical challenges related to structural design, fluid dynamics, operation, and maintenance arising from the increase in scale. Kawasaki will also pursue the development of a large-scale liquefied hydrogen loading arm designed to comply with ISO 24132, the international standard for liquefied hydrogen loading arms, while offering safety, reliability, operability, and maintainability.
Main Specifications (Development Targets)
| ・ | Liquefied hydrogen handling capacity: Approximately four times that of a 6-inch loading arm (For a 12-inch loading arm, based on the ratio of pipe cross-sectional areas at the same flow velocity) |
| ・ | Ship-to-shore coupler (SSC): Flange-type connection |
Through the Development, Kawasaki will expand its product lineup of liquefied hydrogen cargo handling equipment while advancing infrastructure technologies that support large-volume liquefied hydrogen transportation, thereby contributing to the realization and expansion of liquefied hydrogen supply chains.
| *1 | World’s First Commercial-Specification 6-inch Loading Arm for Ship-to-Shore Liquefied Hydrogen Transfer—Kawasaki and TBG Complete Joint Development (October 14, 2026) https://global.kawasaki.com/news_261014-1e.pdf |
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