A First for China: Ton-Scale Magnesium-Based Solid-State Hydrogen Storage Tank Exported by Sea in a Hydrogen-Charged State

On March 11, reporters learned from the Liaoning Maritime Safety Administration that a large solid-state hydrogen storage unit, after completing hydrogen charging, was successfully loaded for shipment from the Waigaoqiao Port Area in Shanghai. This marks China’s first maritime export of a large solid-state hydrogen storage unit in a hydrogen-charged state, signifying a new breakthrough in the country’s independently developed solid-state hydrogen storage technology in the field of hydrogen storage and transportation. 

The magnesium-based solid-state hydrogen storage equipment shipped on this occasion is destined for Malaysia under a formal commercial order from an overseas customer, and will subsequently be used in a local hydrogen energy application project. According to the company’s preliminary estimate, the associated hydrogen transport scale for the project will reach approximately 500 tons in 2026.

Maritime authorities conducted extensive testing and assessment to determine the conditions for safe waterborne transport of solid-state hydrogen storage equipment.

Hydrogen, owing to its clean and low-carbon attributes, is widely regarded as an important component of the future energy system. For a long time, however, large-scale and long-distance transport of hydrogen has faced major challenges because of cost, safety, and efficiency constraints in the storage and transportation chain. Conventional hydrogen logistics have largely relied on cryogenic liquefaction or high-pressure compression, which are not only costly but also impose extremely stringent safety requirements. The magnesium-based solid-state hydrogen storage equipment shipped this time uses domestically developed magnesium-based solid-state hydrogen storage materials together with hydrogen absorption/desorption control technology, enabling hydrogen storage and transportation under ambient temperature and pressure. Each tank can store up to 1 ton of hydrogen and offers a cycle life exceeding 3,000 cycles, with high safety and storage-transport efficiency.

Internationally, there is still no mature precedent for maritime transport of large solid-state hydrogen storage equipment in a hydrogen-charged state, and clear transport standards are lacking, which posed substantial challenges for shipment preparation. To ensure the smooth export of the hydrogen storage equipment, under the guidance of the Maritime Safety Administration of the Ministry of Transport, the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration and the Liaoning Maritime Safety Administration organized experts to carry out technical evaluations in response to the enterprise’s needs, focusing on equipment characteristics, transport conditions, and safety requirements. Full-chain assessment and guidance were provided on structural integrity, the configuration of safety accessories, emergency response measures, and safe transportation conditions. In view of the transport characteristics of this new type of hydrogen storage equipment, the maritime authorities also provided targeted guidance to help optimize assurance plans for loading, unloading, and transportation, thereby assisting the enterprise in carrying out all preparatory work in a standardized manner. To ensure smooth loading and efficient shipment, the maritime authorities adhered to a service-first approach and opened a green channel for administrative services, ensuring that the relevant procedures for the hydrogen storage equipment were completed in a compliant and efficient manner.

China’s first large solid-state hydrogen storage unit to complete hydrogen charging departed smoothly under maritime safety support.

At the loading site, maritime authorities assigned professional personnel to provide on-site support throughout the entire process, worked closely with the enterprise during loading operations, provided real-time technical support, and made every effort to ensure that the equipment was loaded safely and smoothly, so that the transportation task could proceed as planned.

Maritime authorities conducted on-site inspection of the hydrogen-charged equipment during loading in accordance with the confirmed transport conditions. Photo courtesy of the Liaoning Maritime Safety Administration.

Administration.
Industry sources noted that the successful shipment of this large solid-state hydrogen storage equipment after hydrogen charging has further expanded application scenarios for hydrogen storage and transportation, and has provided a new practical case for promoting extension of the hydrogen energy industrial chain and international cooperation in green and low-carbon technologies.