Gangwon Province announced Monday that it has formally launched research and development on core technologies for a liquid hydrogen receiving terminal, a project it says will help drive South Korea's hydrogen economy.
The province was selected through a competitive process for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's "Liquid Hydrogen Storage Tank and Loading/Unloading System Technology Development Project," securing 29 billion won ($19.8 million) in state funding. Design and R&D work began recently, with the project set to run through 2029 at a hydrogen-specialized industrial complex in Geundeok-myeon, Samcheok.
A consortium of 14 companies and institutions is participating in the project, including GS Engineering & Construction, HD Hyundai E&C, Korea Gas Corporation and the Institute of Advanced Technology.
The R&D program centers on developing and demonstrating domestically produced versions of two key components for a liquid hydrogen receiving terminal: a 200-cubic-meter (approximately 14-ton) storage tank and a 2-inch loading arm capable of safely unloading liquid hydrogen. The results will feed into a second-phase demonstration project.
Gangwon Province plans to expand the effort in stages, with the ultimate goal of building a full commercial-scale receiving terminal. Phase 1 covers R&D (the current project), Phase 2 a demonstration project, and Phase 3 construction of a commercial receiving terminal.
Phase 2 is a large-scale demonstration project for which Samcheok was selected as the test site in February. It will receive 266.8 billion won in state funding to build and demonstrate a major terminal featuring a 4,000-cubic-meter (280-ton) storage tank and a 5-ton hydrogen liquefaction plant. The project is scheduled to undergo a preliminary feasibility review in 2026–2027 before breaking ground in 2028.
Phase 3 aims to have a commercial liquid hydrogen cargo tank and receiving terminal of 40,000 cubic meters or more built in Samcheok by 2040, drawing on domestically developed technologies and demonstration data from the first two phases and backed by large-scale funding.
Selection for both phases and the formal launch of the project lay the groundwork for Samcheok to emerge as a globally significant liquid hydrogen supply hub.
The project is also expected to invigorate the local economy through partnerships with major companies and to contribute significantly to building a hydrogen industry ecosystem spanning the full supply chain.
Son Chang-hwan, head of the global division at Gangwon Province's second administrative office, said the launch of Phase 1 technology development "goes beyond the selection of a single research project — it is a great first step toward building a liquid hydrogen receiving terminal for South Korea." He added that the province would "nurture Samcheok into the world's foremost hydrogen-specialized city through proactive and vigorous support."
abc@heraldcorp.com
