SK E&S-CJ Daehan Tongun to Develop Liquefied Hydrogen-Based 'Eco-Friendly Logistics Complex'

SK E&S-CJ Logistics-Korea Integrated Logistics-SK Plug Hybus
Hydrogen-Based Eco-Friendly Logistics Ecosystem Creation Business Agreement

SK E&S is partnering with CJ Logistics to create an eco-friendly hydrogen logistics complex based on liquefied hydrogen.

On the 18th, SK E&S announced that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the creation of a hydrogen-based eco-friendly logistics ecosystem with CJ Logistics, Korea Integrated Logistics, and SK Plug Hyverse at the SK Seorin Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

This agreement involves the collaboration of the four companies to introduce hydrogen mobility to logistics centers and establish refueling infrastructure, thereby creating an eco-friendly logistics ecosystem based on liquefied hydrogen.

First, CJ Logistics plans to introduce hydrogen forklifts and cargo trucks at logistics centers in the Gunpo, Dongtan, and Yangji areas of Gyeonggi Province. Since hydrogen mobility produces no greenhouse gas emissions and has air-purifying functions, its introduction is expected to significantly contribute to achieving carbon neutrality in the transportation sector. Additionally, hydrogen forklifts can operate for 8 hours on a single charge, and their charging time is short?around 3 to 5 minutes?enabling improved work efficiency and productivity.

SK E&S will be responsible for the stable production and supply of liquefied hydrogen, which will serve as the fuel for hydrogen mobility. Starting with the operation of the Incheon liquefied hydrogen plant by the end of this year, SK E&S plans to ramp up liquefied hydrogen production and supply it to hydrogen refueling stations for cargo trucks. Liquefied hydrogen has advantages over gaseous hydrogen, such as enabling large-volume transportation and rapid refueling, making it especially suitable for mobility within logistics centers where hydrogen refueling demand is high.

SK Plug Hyverse will be in charge of building liquefied hydrogen refueling stations to supply fuel to hydrogen forklifts and cargo trucks. SK Plug Hyverse is a hydrogen business joint venture established by SK E&S and the U.S. hydrogen specialist company Plug Power, and plans to build and operate liquefied hydrogen refueling stations at logistics hubs nationwide. Korea Integrated Logistics, a subsidiary of CJ Logistics, will establish liquefied hydrogen refueling stations at suitable sites within logistics bases across the country.

Furthermore, SK Plug Hyverse will also play a role in the early development and distribution of fuel cells for hydrogen mobility. Leveraging Plug Power’s excellent technology, which serves global retail and logistics companies such as Amazon and Walmart, SK Plug Hyverse plans to support the transition to hydrogen mobility within the ‘eco-friendly logistics complex.’ Currently, SK Plug Hyverse is establishing a ‘Hydrogen Technology R&D Center and Giga-factory’ in Korea to mass-produce fuel cell products and water electrolysis equipment. In the future, CJ Logistics will handle the overall logistics for the products and equipment produced by SK Plug Hyverse.

SK E&S and CJ Logistics signed an MOU for mutual cooperation in hydrogen business in March last year and have been collaborating to build and activate the domestic hydrogen ecosystem, including jointly promoting liquefied hydrogen transportation business. SK E&S plans to produce 30,000 tons of liquefied hydrogen annually starting at the Incheon liquefied hydrogen plant by the end of this year, and CJ Logistics will transport it nationwide to hydrogen refueling stations using liquefied hydrogen tankers.

Following the liquefied hydrogen transportation business, the two companies plan to organically cooperate in the supply of hydrogen mobility and infrastructure construction through the creation of an ‘eco-friendly hydrogen logistics complex,’ aiming to lead the early activation of the domestic liquefied hydrogen ecosystem.

Kwon Hyung-gyun, Vice President of SK E&S, stated, “Through our partnership with CJ Logistics, a leading domestic logistics company, we will supply competitively priced liquefied hydrogen in a timely manner and actively support the expansion of hydrogen commercial vehicles, including hydrogen buses, forklifts, and cargo trucks.”

Meanwhile, Andy Marsh, CEO of Plug Power, who visited Korea to discuss joint business with SK E&S President Chu Hyung-wook, also attended the signing ceremony. CEO Andy Marsh said, “In the U.S. and Europe, various hydrogen mobility solutions are already being utilized in the logistics industry, and we will help apply Plug Power’s know-how to the Korean logistics industry to achieve a ‘hydrogen energy revolution.’”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.