Jeonnam-do Leads Next-Generation Eco-Friendly Coastal Shipbuilding Industry

Mokpo·KRISO·UST Agreement Signed

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province is leading the next-generation eco-friendly coastal ship industry.

On the 22nd, Jeonnam Province announced that it signed a business agreement to establish an ‘Eco-friendly Coastal Ship Cluster’ together with Mokpo City, the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISO), and the University of Science and Technology (UST).

The signing ceremony was attended by Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province; Kim Jong-sik, Mayor of Mokpo; Kim Eehwan, President of UST; and Kim Boogi, Director of KRISO.

This agreement was prepared to transform the shipbuilding industry into a future-oriented new industry through the development and demonstration of eco-friendly ship technologies such as electric propulsion ships and LNG dual-fuel, and to actively respond to international ship greenhouse gas regulations.

According to the agreement, KRISO will establish an ‘Eco-friendly Fuel Propulsion Research Hub’ centered on the redevelopment site of Mokpo South Port (65,000㎡). By 2025, it plans to build an eco-friendly ship testbed focused on coastal ships and establish a system that can support the entire technology lifecycle from research and development to commercialization.

UST will support the establishment of the ‘Eco-friendly Fuel Propulsion Convergence Major I-CORE (contract department) program’ at KRISO, a master’s and doctoral degree program premised on employment at local companies to cultivate top-level eco-friendly ship technology personnel in Korea, and operate it at the Mokpo research hub starting in 2023.

Jeonnam Province and Mokpo City plan to actively support KRISO’s technology development and demonstration projects to ensure the smooth establishment of the future-oriented eco-friendly ship cluster, and to actively promote the eco-friendly new industrialization of the shipbuilding industry using the developed new technologies.

Earlier, in April, Jeonnam Province and Mokpo City, together with KRISO, attracted the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ project for ‘Development of Electric Propulsion Car Ferries and Mobile Power Supply Systems.’

This project will invest 45.1 billion KRW over five years until 2024 and has already started developing the world’s first electric propulsion car ferry based on a mobile power supply system.

Considering that the development of eco-friendly ship technology is still in its early stages worldwide, this business agreement is expected to be a starting point for transforming the underdeveloped domestic coastal ship industry into a high-tech industry and for Jeonnam to lead the future-oriented eco-friendly ship industry.

Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province, said, “The shipbuilding industry is a strategic industry of Jeonnam Province, and especially Jeonnam has optimal conditions for the development and demonstration of future-oriented eco-friendly ships as coastal ships are densely distributed here. Going forward, we will promote the future-oriented new industrialization of the shipbuilding industry through fostering the eco-friendly ship industry and secure the high value-added coastal ship market worth 30 trillion KRW worldwide.”