HJ Heavy Industries develops 10,000 TEU biofuel-powered container ship

Photo: HJ Heavy Industries

HJ Heavy Industries announced June 5 that it has obtained approval from the Korean Register for a 10,000 20-foot equivalent (TEU) biofuel-propelled container ship. 

On June 4, as the two organizations participated in Posidonia, a maritime trade exhibition and conference held this year in Athens, Greece, HJ Heavy Industries CEO Yoo Sang-chul and Korean Register Executive Director Cho Byung-sam met at the venue to hold a certification-signing ceremony.

Posidonia is considered one of the world’s top three shipbuilding and offshore exhibitions, along with Norway’s Nor-Shipping and Germany’s Hamburg SMM. 

Marine biofuel refers to a carbon-reducing fuel produced by mixing biofuels, such as those made from plant or animal oils, in a certain proportion with conventional fossil fuel-based marine fuel.

With the strengthening of carbon-emission regulations by the International Maritime Organization and the expansion of global environmental regulations—including the EU’s new FuelEU maritime and Emissions Trading System—it is emerging as an ecofriendly alternative fuel, with usage increasing in the shipping industry and major ports worldwide. 

As interest in biofuels grows among shipowners attending Posidonia, the shipbuilding industry is facing a situation where proactive technology acquisition and market response at the shipyard level are required. 

HJ Heavy Industries said it decided last year to cooperate with the Korean Register of Shipping to secure related technology and has been conducting research activities by applying a biofuel propulsion system to a 10,000 TEU container ship currently under construction.

The company completed the technology development last month and obtained certification in June. 

This certification is highly significant, according to HJ Heavy Industries, in that both organizations have officially confirmed the technical feasibility and safety in compliance with relevant regulations and safety standards.

In particular, HJ Heavy Industries expects to secure additional orders in the future by acquiring high value-added ecofriendly technology for 10,000-TEU class biofuel-propelled medium to large container ships, while the Korean Register of Shipping expects to promote the transition to ecofriendly ships built in Korea. 

“The development of biofuel-powered container-ship technology is expected to have a positive effect on sales and order acquisition activities in the ecofriendly ship market,” said Yoo. “As the construction of decarbonized vessels is essential for greenhouse-gas reduction, we will secure technological competitiveness to build trust with shipowners.”