Samsung Heavy, Develops Independent Model for Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel... Certified by Top 3 Global Classification Societies

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] Samsung Heavy Industries has begun full-scale market penetration by developing an independent model of an offshore wind turbine installation vessel (Wind Turbine Installation Vessel, hereinafter WTIV) that integrates eco-friendly technologies in line with the growth of the global offshore wind power market.

On the 8th, Samsung Heavy Industries announced that it had simultaneously obtained basic certification for the 'low-carbon emission WTIV' concept design from the world's three major classification societies: the US ABS, Norway's DNV, and the UK's LR, becoming the first in the industry to do so.

The WTIV developed by Samsung Heavy Industries incorporates all of its eco-friendly technologies, including a dual engine capable of using LNG, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), and energy storage systems (ESS). Compared to conventional diesel engine vessels, it can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 50%, making it suitable for strengthened environmental regulations, and its high power usage efficiency significantly reduces vessel operating costs, according to Samsung Heavy Industries.

Samsung Heavy Industries expects to secure strong competitiveness by breaking away from dependence on foreign engineering firms that monopolize WTIV design technology, thereby reducing costs caused by technology fees and equipment selection restrictions. To this end, in December last year, Samsung Heavy Industries partnered with Hyosung Heavy Industries to jointly develop domestic technology for the jacking system, a core piece of WTIV equipment. The jacking system is a highly advanced mechanical technology that lifts WTIVs weighing over 40,000 tons above the sea surface and withstands crane loads of up to 2,500 tons.

Lee Wang-geun, head of Samsung Heavy Industries' marine business division, emphasized, "With the growth of the wind power market, which is one of the core pillars of the Green New Deal policy, demand for WTIVs will further expand," adding, "It is highly significant that we have secured an independent model that integrates advanced eco-friendly technologies."

Samsung Heavy Industries was the first domestic shipbuilder to win an order for a WTIV in 2010 and has accumulated construction technology and experience by delivering a total of three vessels to date. Clarkson Research, a UK-based shipbuilding and shipping market analysis firm, forecasted that WTIV orders will increase by 44%, from 16 vessels in 2020 to 23 vessels in 2023, due to the expansion of renewable energy policies.