Ships Equipped with ‘KRISO Vortex Generator’ Benefit 23% Entry Fee Discount at the Port of Vancouver

▶ K-VG has been registered as the ‘Bronze’ level of the EcoAction Program of the Port of Vancouver, Canada.

▶ KRISO is taking the lead in the realization of marine carbon neutrality by developing technologies for reducing underwater radiated noise.

□ The Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISO, President Key-Yong Hong) is accelerating technological development in pursuit of a sustainable ocean environment.

□ KRISO announced on the 5th of this month that its Vortex Generator (K-VG), developed to reduce underwater radiated noise* from ships, has been registered as the ‘Bronze’ level of the EcoAction Program of the Port of Vancouver, Canada.

*Underwater radiated noise: Noise generated from machines and propellers of ships and propagated underwater.

□ The EcoAction Program gives incentives to maintain and protect the environment near the Port of Vancouver, Canada, and provides discounts on entry fees for ships with technologies that reduce environmental impact by, for example, reducing greenhouse gas emissions or lowering underwater radiated noise.

□ As the K-VG is registered as the ‘Bronze’ level of the EcoAction Program, ships equipped with it will receive a 23% discount on entry fees at the Port of Vancouver from 2023.

□ A vortex generator is a device that controls the flow of water around the hull to improve the propulsion efficiency of the ship and reduce the noise of the propeller. When the device developed by KRISO is applied, the underwater radiated noise from ships can be reduced by more than 3 dB, and the greenhouse gas emission can also be reduced through the improvement of the propulsion efficiency of ships.

□ Han-Shin Seol, the Principal Researcher who developed the K-VG, said, “The development of the vortex generator was promoted to positively respond to the full-scale discussion of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to regulate underwater radiated noise from ships.” Seol added, ”We will be able to play a leading role in related fields by using KRISO’s underwater radiated noise reduction technologies as well as the relevant R&D results.“

□ Recently, as maritime transportation and ship speed and size have increased, there has been an increase in underwater radiated noise from ships, which has been identified as one of the causes of marine ecosystem disturbance. To protect the marine environment, the IMO recommends reducing underwater radiated noise from ships by 3 dB compared to the current level within 10 years, while seeking technical and policy measures for the regulation of the noise.

□ On the other hand, KRISO is developing technologies for self-monitoring and reducing underwater noise radiated by ships in collaboration with shipyards and marine transportation companies. Furthermore, by participating in the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction, KRISO is providing relevant technical responses.

□ Key-Yong Hong, the President of KRISO, said, “We are very pleased to be able to prove the international competitiveness of our technology through the registration of the K-VG to the EcoAction Program of the Port of Vancouver, Canada. KRISO will continue to take the lead in R&D work to preemptively respond to changes in the international maritime environment.”