KRISO introduced Korea’s eco-friendly ship technology in the international conference

▶ Focusing on eco-friendly alternative fuel offshore test-bed ship and technology for land-based evaluation of 30 MW electricity-hybrid propulsion system

□ Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISO, President Key Yong Hong) has begun to lay the groundwork for international cooperation to bring forward the era of eco-friendly ships.

□ During the summit conference of the 28th UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) of Parties (COP28), KRISO held a joint conference (Toward Green Shipping by 2050) with the US at the Korea Hall of the Dubai Expo City and presented ‘R&D Status of Korea for Green Shipping Corridor,’ which attracted much attention from the international community.

□ The UNFCCC COP is an international conference where more than 200 countries gather each year to discuss measures for responding to climate change and commit to reduction of carbon emissions or the like. At COP28, held this year, Korea and the US issued a joint statement regarding green shipping seaways, officially declaring plans for conducting a pilot demonstration project for utilizing low-carbon and carbon-free fuels, carbon reduction technologies, and energy-saving technologies.

□ The conference was organized by Korea and the US to introduce plans for realizing 2050 Marine Net Zero and establishing and implementing green shipping courses, thereby promoting international cooperation.

□ Hee Jin Kang, the director of the Alternative Fuels and Power System Research Center, attended the conference as one of the delegates of Korea and presented the preparation status for the establishment of the eco-friendly alternative fuel supply chain and the application of net-zero and carbon reduction technologies to ships, which should be considered in realizing 2050 Net Zero.

□ In particular, an eco-friendly alternative fuel test-bed ship and technology for land-based evaluation of a 30 MW electricity-hybrid propulsion system developed by KRISO attracted much attention and positive responses from the participants.

□ The eco-friendly alternative fuel test-bed ship, presented that day, is an offshore test-bed in which engines propelled by various eco-friendly fuels such as electric power, hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol may be demonstrated in a single ship. When the implementation of the 2050 Marine Net Zero and the establishment of Korea-US Green Shipping Corridor are officially announced, it is expected that the test-bed ship can play an important role in performing offshore demonstration of eco-friendly fuel propulsion technologies and obtaining a good track record.

□ In addition, technology for land-based evaluation of the 30 MW electricity-hybrid propulsion system allows land-based evaluation of eco-friendly ship fuels and propulsion systems, as well as providing a demonstration of carbon-free fuel propulsion technologies before their full-scale application to ships. To this end, KRISO is currently constructing a 30 MW land-based test site (LBTS) in Mokpo. The world’s largest LBTS will allow for electrification tests of large ships, so that the application of electric propulsion systems to large merchant ships, such as container ships in international corridors, may be brought forward.

□ Hee Jin Kang, the director, said, “We will thoroughly prepare the establishment of the land-based and offshore test-bed for the development of alternative fuel technologies for eco-friendly ships. We will do our best in R&D work and domestic and international cooperative activities.”