ABB has been selected by Kawasaki Heavy Industries to supply its ABB Ability™ System 800xA distributed control system (DCS) for the Kawasaki LH2 Terminal in Ogishima, Japan. Announced on August 25, 2026, the project represents an important development in industrial automation for the emerging liquefied hydrogen supply chain.

The Kawasaki LH2 Terminal is being developed as a commercial-scale facility designed to handle liquefied hydrogen beyond the pilot-project stage. Located approximately 30 kilometers south of Tokyo, the facility is expected to include a 50,000 m³ liquefied hydrogen storage tank together with equipment for cargo handling, liquefaction, hydrogen gas supply and truck dispatch.

From an automation perspective, the project highlights the increasing role of integrated DCS technology in complex energy infrastructure. ABB System 800xA will integrate process control, safety and operational information into a common automation environment. This architecture is intended to give operators improved visibility across critical processes while supporting reliable and coordinated plant operation.

The ABB solution will also include a SIL 3 Safety Instrumented System (SIS), redundant AC 800M controllers and critical server infrastructure. Such redundancy is particularly important for hydrogen facilities, where continuous monitoring and dependable control are essential for safe storage, transfer and distribution operations.

The project also demonstrates how DCS technology is evolving beyond traditional process control. Modern automation platforms increasingly combine control, safety, data management and operator information within a unified architecture. For engineers working with PLC, DCS and industrial control systems, this approach can simplify system integration and improve access to operational information.

The Kawasaki LH2 Terminal is expected to complete its demonstration phase by 2030. Once operational, it is intended to support the development of an international liquefied hydrogen supply chain and help Japan expand hydrogen infrastructure at commercial scale.

For the industrial automation market, the project is significant because hydrogen infrastructure requires highly reliable control architectures, advanced safety systems and extensive process monitoring. It also shows how established DCS platforms are being applied to new energy applications where safety, availability and operational efficiency must work together.

As hydrogen projects expand globally, integrated DCS and safety automation are likely to become increasingly important. The ABB System 800xA deployment in Kawasaki provides a current example of how process automation technology is being adapted for the next generation of energy infrastructure.