Joint Development of Eco-Friendly Container Ships Based on SOFC
Production Plant in Pyeongtaek to Be Completed in the Second Half of This Year
Accelerating Net Zero in Shipping... Key Technology for 'Decarbonization'
HD Hyundai is set to develop next-generation eco-friendly container ships based on solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). This initiative aims to respond to the growing demand for carbon neutrality in the shipping industry and to lead the commercialization of zero-carbon vessels based on domestic technology.
On June 26, HD Hyundai announced that its subsidiaries?HD Hydrogen, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries?have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for "the development of zero-carbon shipping technology utilizing SOFC" with HMM and Korean Register (KR). SOFC, which uses a solid oxide as an electrolyte to produce electricity and heat, can utilize various eco-friendly fuels such as natural gas, biogas, and hydrogen. Its main advantage is the significant reduction in carbon emissions compared to conventional internal combustion engines.
The signing ceremony was attended by Oh Seunghwan, Executive Director of HD Hydrogen; Jung Jaejoon, Executive Vice President of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries; Park Sangmin, Executive Director of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering; Kim Minkang, Executive Director of HMM; and Lee Youngseok, Vice President of Korean Register. The agreement aims to develop carbon-reducing container ships using high-efficiency eco-friendly fuel cells, and ultimately to create net-zero solutions for the entire shipping sector, including ammonia-based fuel cells and carbon dioxide capture facilities.
Specifically, HD Hydrogen will provide the SOFC technology, while HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering will be responsible for designing ships that incorporate this technology. Korean Register will handle the technical verification and certification of the designs, and HMM will provide vessels for technology demonstration in actual operating environments.
A representative from HD Hydrogen stated, "With the International Maritime Organization (IMO) moving toward the introduction of a carbon tax, the global shipping industry’s demand for carbon neutrality is rapidly increasing. Based on the technological capabilities we have accumulated, SOFC?an efficient and eco-friendly power generation system?has now taken its first step into the shipping market."
HD Hyundai established a fuel cell research institute in 2018 to begin developing SOFCs, and last year launched its subsidiary HD Hydrogen, specializing in hydrogen fuel cells and water electrolysis technology. HD Hydrogen plans to complete an SOFC production plant in Pyeongtaek in the second half of 2025 and will gradually expand its product lineup.
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