Hanjin Heavy Industries Wins Order for 3 Diesel-Electric Hybrid Fishery Patrol Vessels

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Hanjin Heavy Industries announced on the 13th that it has won an order worth 91.2 billion KRW for three national fishery patrol vessels commissioned by the Namhae Fisheries Management Unit of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

The vessels ordered this time are 1,900-ton hybrid ships equipped with diesel-electric combined propulsion engines, introduced for the first time in Korea, unlike the fishery patrol vessels built so far. Compared to existing single-propulsion government vessels, they reduce fuel consumption by 15% and decrease fine dust and greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25%.

Fishery patrol vessels are government ships used for safe operation guidance of Korean fishing vessels in coastal and distant waters, as well as for illegal fishing monitoring, inspection, enforcement, protection of fishery resources, rescue of distressed vessels, and prevention of maritime accidents. These vessels are 91 meters long and 15 meters wide, can carry 30 crew members, sail at a maximum speed of 17.5 knots, and have a cruising range of 11,000 km. They will be built at the Busan Yeongdo Shipyard and delivered sequentially starting in 2023.

It is reported that this ship order was issued earlier than initially expected due to the government's carbon neutrality policy. The government plans to first apply commercialized technologies such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) and hybrid systems in the public sector and then expand them to the private sector, aiming to convert a total of 388 government vessels to eco-friendly ships by 2030. The company stated, "We will perfectly build various eco-friendly and multipurpose government vessels to contribute to the government's Green New Deal and the 2030 eco-friendly government vessel conversion policy."