Hydrogen Liquefaction Terminal

Project Overview

The Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) Pilot project was a world-first initiative to produce liquefied hydrogen in Australia and ship it to Japan. The centrepiece was the hydrogen liquefaction and loading terminal at the Port of Hastings, Victoria.

This A$500 million project (jointly funded by Australian and Japanese governments and industry) included facilities to liquefy hydrogen gas and store it at –253°C, and berthing infrastructure to load the world's first specialised liquid hydrogen carrier.

In early 2022, the pilot achieved its goal when the Suiso Frontier—the world's first liquefied hydrogen carrier—docked at Hastings and transported LH2 to Japan.

Key Metrics

• Investment: A$500 million
• Temperature: –253°C (cryogenic)
• Volume Reduction: 1/800th of gaseous form
• Milestone: First LH2 shipment to Japan (2022)

My Role

Working as a project planner (consulting via Solid Support to Icon/Kawasaki), I managed scheduling for construction and mechanical installation:

• Developing detailed construction programs for cryogenic equipment, storage tanks, piping, and control systems
• Coordinating international inputs (specialised equipment and engineers from Japan)
• Integrating commissioning schedules with the Suiso Frontier carrier availability

Challenges & Solutions

This project was unprecedented—building a first-of-its-kind industrial plant under tight time constraints. When initial cooldown tests took longer than anticipated, I adjusted shifts and brought in additional commissioning experts to run 24-hour operations, recovering lost time.

The terminal was completed in time for the pilot shipment—a success that gained global attention. By applying a calm, structured approach and negotiating schedule tweaks with multiple stakeholders, I helped deliver a groundbreaking project that paved the way for potential commercial-scale hydrogen exports.