On the occasion of Hyvolution’s trade show, Alfa Laval and ArianeGroup announce the signature of a co-development agreement for a liquid hydrogen trailer pump. This agreement follows the Memorandum of Understanding signed on December 1, 2024, wherein Alfa Laval and ArianeGroup have initiated a joint program to design, develop, test, and industrialize a pump specifically tailored for liquid hydrogen trailers. This new solution offered by this trailer pump will enable more efficient and reliable transfer of liquid hydrogen from production sites to distribution hubs and refueling stations.

“This agreement demonstrates the strength and maturity of our partnership with ArianeGroup,” said Vincent Pourailly, President of the Cryogenic Technologies Business Unit at Alfa Laval. “Together, we are moving from concept to execution, with the clear objective of delivering a liquid hydrogen trailer pump that meets the highest industrial and safety standards and supports the rapid growth of hydrogen mobility.”

“This contractual agreement marks a decisive step in turning our shared ambition with Alfa Laval into a concrete industrial solution,” said Philippe Clar, director of civil programs at ArianeGroup. “By applying space-proven liquid hydrogen technologies to terrestrial uses, ArianeGroup is proud to contribute to the development of a reliable hydrogen ecosystem and to the decarbonization of mobility.”

The project addresses critical requirements including compactness, reliability, efficiency, safety, and ease of operation. Engineered to perform under extreme cryogenic conditions, the trailer pump will enable more efficient and reliable transfer of liquid hydrogen from production sites to distribution hubs and refueling stations.

Prior to this Memorandum of agreement, there was no solution on the market capable of transferring liquid hydrogen reliably, efficiently and effectively. With this product, Alfa Laval and ArianeGroup meet industrial markets expectations by limiting the losses related to hydrogen heating.

Liquid hydrogen is an important component in future low-carbon energy systems, particularly for heavy-duty and long-range mobility applications. However, its extreme cryogenic properties create significant handling and transportation challenges, and existing solutions don’t meet the demanding requirements. In current liquid hydrogen road logistics, trailers are often unloaded without dedicated pumping systems, resulting in operational inefficiencies and significant hydrogen losses. The co-development agreement between Alfa Laval and ArianeGroup aims to address these challenges with an optimal cryogenic pumping solution.