NEWS

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HDKSOE) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), the shipbuilding affiliates of HD Hyundai, have partnered with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) to capture the electric propulsion market for large ships. 

HD Hyundai announced on May 3 that they signed an MOU for Mutual Cooperation on Classification Regulations and Research for Medium Voltage Direct Current (MVDC) Transmission and Distribution Systems for Ships’ at the HD Hyundai Global R&D Center (GRC) located in Seongnam. The signing ceremony was attended by Kim Seong-hun, Director of ABS’ Korea Business Development, and Kwon Byoung-hun, Head of HDKSOE Electrification Center.

MVDC is a technology that transmits high-voltage electricity between 1.5kV and 100kV in direct current, attracting attention as the next-generation power supply technology due to its lower energy loss compared to Alternating Current (AC) transmission. In particular, when applied to large electric-powered ships, MVDC can improve integrated energy efficiency by up to 20% compared to conventional AC power systems. 

Previously, HDKSOE built the first domestic DC-based hybrid electric propulsion ship ‘Ulsan Taehwa’ (a medium-sized ship of 2,800 tons) by applying the low-voltage direct current (LVDC) transmission and distribution system. 

However, despite the advantage of high energy efficiency, shipboard MVDC systems are still facing difficulties in commercialization due to the absence of international standards. This is why HDKSOE and HHI have partnered with ABS to develop shipboard MVDC and set international standards. 

Kwon, Head of HDKSOE Electrification Center, said, “MVDC technology is not an option but a must for zero carbon large ships and next-generation electric-powered vessels,” and added, “We plan to lead the electric propulsion market for large ships by developing shipboard MVDC and establishing international standards.”

Meanwhile, HDKSOE and HHI acquired basic design certification from Lloyd's Register in the UK in October last year for a ‘low-carbon electric propulsion system for ultra-large crude oil carriers based on based on high-voltage direct current (MVDC) and large-capacity fuel cell (SOFC).’