Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Romania’s Transgaz have signed an MoU to explore large-scale hydrogen transport through onshore pipelines, beginning with demonstration tests of Kawasaki’s centrifugal hydrogen compressor in Romania.
Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Romania’s Transgaz to advance the development of large-scale hydrogen gas transportation through onshore pipelines across Central and Eastern Europe. The agreement was announced at the Romania-Japan Innovation Forum in Tokyo, in the presence of officials from both countries.
The partnership will combine Transgaz’s experience in natural gas pipeline infrastructure with Kawasaki’s centrifugal hydrogen compressor technology. The companies aim to develop a model for transporting hydrogen safely and reliably to Romania and neighbouring markets, potentially strengthening the country’s position as a regional energy hub.
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As an initial step, Kawasaki plans to conduct demonstration tests in Romania using its KM Comp-H₂ centrifugal compressor to transport pure hydrogen through onshore infrastructure. The project is part of a feasibility and demonstration initiative selected under Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry programme supporting cooperation with Central and Eastern European countries.
Efficient compression is a key technical requirement for transporting large volumes of hydrogen at high pressure through pipelines. Kawasaki’s demonstration will assess its compressor technology for this application, supporting efforts to develop infrastructure capable of handling hydrogen at scale.
The collaboration comes amid growing interest in hydrogen as a lower-carbon energy carrier and in pipeline networks that can connect production sites with industrial users and neighbouring countries. If successfully developed and scaled, such infrastructure could help improve hydrogen distribution efficiency and support the formation of a regional supply chain.
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Kawasaki also intends to link pipeline transportation with its wider portfolio of hydrogen-related technologies, including turbines, engines, transport vessels and storage tanks. The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation and demonstration; it does not, by itself, confirm that a full commercial hydrogen pipeline network has been built or that a final investment decision has been made.