As hydrogen demand continues to gather momentum across transport, manufacturing and industrial applications, the importance of specialised trailing equipment is becoming increasingly apparent.
For global industrial gas supplier, Air Liquide, the safe and efficient movement of hydrogen is central to supporting customers and optimising its logistics network.
Air Liquide’s latest investment in hydrogen tube trailers built through Marshall Lethlean represents a broader commitment to safety, engineering innovation and operational efficiency in one of the most technically demanding freight environments in the country.
Air Liquide Senior Engineer – Pacific, Stephen Crawford, says the project builds on an established international relationship while drawing heavily on local engineering and Dangerous Goods (DG) expertise.
“Air Liquide has a long-standing relationship with CIMC, Marshall Lethlean’s parent company,” he says. “By leveraging global expertise and economies of scale, we can work together efficiently.”
Air Liquide’s recent decision to place a new hydrogen tube trailer order with Marshall Lethlean was shaped by the combined strengths of CIMC’s international manufacturing capability and Marshall Lethlean’s understanding of Australian operating conditions and compliance requirements.
“This purchase is part of renewing our trailer fleet to meet ever increasing safety standards and delivery efficiencies,” Stephen says. “CIMC’s proven capability in this field coupled with Marshall Lethlean’s local DG knowledge made them the right fit.”
Hydrogen transport presents unique challenges compared with conventional industrial gases. The molecule itself is extremely small, highly flammable and requires specialised containment and handling systems. As hydrogen applications increase, engineering requirements for trailers continue to become more sophisticated.
The new hydrogen tube trailers will play a key role within Air Liquide’s broader supply network by transporting hydrogen between production sites, processing facilities and customer locations.
“They will be integrated into our distribution network, promoting safe and reliable delivery directly to our customers across the region,” Stephen says. “Our primary engineering focus is always safety – designing thermal and pressure management systems that mitigate risks, and implementing multi-layered automated response mechanisms.”
As a global hydrogen supplier, Air Liquide has spent decades refining safety systems and operational procedures across multiple markets. That accumulated experience has informed the specification requirements for the latest trailer fleet.
The trailers also incorporate upgraded running gear and enhanced gas component systems aimed at improving both operational reliability and fleet safety outcomes. Compared with previous hydrogen transport equipment used by Air Liquide, the latest specification delivers increased carrying capacity through a higher pressure rating.
“This means more mass of hydrogen can be carried in the same volume,” Stephen explains.
That increase in pressure capability is significant because it allows Air Liquide to transport greater quantities of hydrogen without increasing trailer size. As hydrogen supply chains expand, payload efficiency will become increasingly important in managing transport costs and delivery responsiveness.
Air Liquide expects improvements in both efficiency and operational performance once these trailers are integrated into the fleet.
“The new trailers are designed to deliver improvement in safety and efficiency,” Stephen says.
Close collaboration between Air Liquide engineers and Marshall Lethlean formed a major part of the project’s development process. According to Stephen, the partnership extended well beyond standard procurement arrangements.
“The engineers worked closely together,” he says. “This included site visits and remote design reviews.”
That collaborative approach ensured the trailers aligned with both Air Liquide’s global hydrogen handling standards and Australia’s stringent DG requirements.
Marshall Lethlean’s local regulatory understanding was especially important given the evolving nature of hydrogen transport legislation and compliance frameworks in Australia. The ability to combine international manufacturing capability with local engineering input allowed the project team to tailor the equipment to specific operational conditions.
Hydrogen transport infrastructure itself is also evolving alongside trailer technology. As demand increases, operators across the supply chain are being required to reconsider loading facilities, storage systems and depot layouts to support growing volumes and higher-pressure equipment. At the same time, trailer manufacturers are continuing to explore new materials and technologies designed to further improve capacity, reduce tare weight and increase operational flexibility.
“There is vast development in hydrogen tube technology, using alternate materials and higher pressures,” Stephen says.
That technology pathway is expected to play an important role as Australia’s hydrogen sector matures and moves towards larger-scale production and distribution networks.
For Air Liquide, customer outcomes remain central to the investment strategy. Improvements in trailer capability ultimately support greater reliability, stronger delivery performance and enhanced supply resilience across a growing customer base.
The company is also drawing on extensive international experience as it continues to develop hydrogen transport operations within Australia.
“Hydrogen has a key role to play in accelerating the energy transition,” Stephen says. “Air Liquide’s international and local expertise makes it well placed to meet the market’s needs.”
As the hydrogen economy continues to evolve, specialised trailer technology will remain fundamental to enabling safe and commercially viable distribution networks. Projects such as Air Liquide’s latest investment with Marshall Lethlean demonstrate how transport engineering, regulatory expertise and operational collaboration are converging to support the next generation of industrial energy supply.
For the trailer manufacturing sector, the project also highlights the growing importance of high-pressure gas transport capability and the increasingly specialised engineering requirements emerging across the Australian freight landscape.
