The world’s first, purpose-built liquified hydrogen carrier ship has been unveiled amid huge fanfare in Japan – and its first destination is Victoria.

This vessel forms a critical part of the Andrews Labor Government-supported Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) Pilot Project, the largest hydrogen demonstration project in the world.

It will see Latrobe Valley brown coal turned into hydrogen gas, then transported to the Port of Hastings, where it will be liquified and shipped to Japan for use in fuel cell vehicles and power generation.

The pilot has the potential to put Victoria at the forefront of the fast-growing hydrogen industry, expected to be worth $2.5 trillion globally by 2050.

The state-of-the-art ship Suiso Frontier (Hydrogen Frontier), built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, is the first of its kind to transport liquified hydrogen and measures 116 metres in length and weights approximately 8,000 tonnes.

It is due to make its first voyage to Victoria in 2021.

It will have a 1,250 cubic metre capacity vacuum insulated double-walled storage tank which will safely and efficiently transport liquefied hydrogen cooled to -253 degrees Celsius.

The HESC pilot was identified as a key project in the recently released National Hydrogen Strategy, which sets out a framework for Australian governments and industry to work together to build up the industry.

HESC will create 400 jobs in the Latrobe Valley and Hastings regions across the life of the pilot – with thousands more expected should it progress to the commercial phase.

Hydrogen is considered the low-cost renewable fuel of the future and could help reduce carbon emissions in Australia and around the world.

The HESC Pilot Project is being developed by a consortium of top energy and infrastructure companies, including Kawasaki Heavy Industries, J-Power, Iwatani Corporation, Marubeni Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation and AGL.

The pilot has the support of the Victorian, Commonwealth and Japanese governments.