KRISO to Build Sea Trial Testbed for Eco-friendly Alternative Fuel

▶ Obtaining track record for eco-friendly fuel propulsion systems from testing and demonstrations before the construction of the vessel

▶ Ushering in the spread and commercialization of eco-friendly shiip technologies

□ Korea Research Institue of Ships & Offshore Engineering (President Booki Kim, hereinafter KRISO) has begun constructing Korea’s first sea trial testbed (K-GTB) for testing and demonstrating various eco-friendly fuel propulsion systems for ships.

□ The steel-cutting ceremony for KRISO’s 2,600 ton class (length 82.6m, width 18m) sea trial testbed was held at Hankookmade in Mokpo, Jeollanam-do Province.

□ The vessel being constructed in this project is a 1MW grade eco-friendly alternative fuel sea trial testbed (K-GTB), to be used in safety and performance evaluations of various eco-friendly fuel propulsion systems such as hydrogen fuel cells, dual fuel engines, and secondary cell systems.

□ Previously, ships had to be built for each type of fuel propulsion system in the process of developing new eco-friendly fuel propulsion systems, which was both costly and time-consuming. With this sea trial test bed, eco-friendly technologies developed in the future can be tested and demonstrated to produce track records needed to build the ships individually.

□ KRISO has been developing the sea trial testbed with support from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Institute of Marine Science & Technology Promotion (KIMST) as the research institute in charge of the eco-friendly mixed fuel ship technology development and demonstration project in cooperation with several private enterprises* as well as Jeonnam Province and the City of Mokpo since 2021. The construction of this vessel will be performed by Hankookmade, with the Korean Register of Shipping inspecting the entire process from design to construction and test operation.

   * Participating enterprises: KTE, SAN Engineering, Far east Ship Design & Engineering, ㈜LEEYOUNG SND

□ Upon completion, the 1MW grade eco-friendly alternative fuel sea trial testbed will be put through test operation and optimization in 2024, to be sent into actual demonstrations and performance evaluations in 2025. The success of this R&D project will help accelerate the introduction of eco-friendly technologies to the shipbuilding and shipping sectors.

□ KRISO President Booki Kim commented, “The first sea trial testbed constructed in Korea is expected to play a major role in the successful commercialization eco-friendly ship technology. [...] We will do our best to expand the reach of Korean eco-friendly ships.”