NEWS

HD Hyundai is moving to realize zero carbon in the shipping sector by commercializing solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology for ships and ports.

HD Hyundai announced on June 26 that three of its affiliates — HD Hydrogen, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries — signed an “MOU on the development of zero-carbon technologies for shipping based on SOFCs” together with HMM and Korean Register.

The signing ceremony was attended by Oh Sung-hwan, Senior Executive Director at HD Hydrogen; Jung Jae-jun, Senior Executive Director at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries; Park Sang-min, Senior Executive Director at HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering; Kim Min-kang, Senior Executive Director at HMM; and Lee Young-seok, Executive Vice President at Korean Register.

The MOU aims to develop net-zero solutions in the maritime sector, starting with the development of carbon-reducing container ships equipped with eco-friendly, high-efficiency SOFCs, and expanding to technologies such as ammonia-fueled SOFCs and carbon capture systems.

To this end, based on SOFC systems from HD Hydrogen, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will develop carbon-reducing container vessels, while Korean Register will carry out verification and certification. HMM will provide the operational vessel environment needed during development and, once development is complete, will deploy a demonstration ship to validate the SOFC system under real operating conditions.

SOFCs (Solid Oxide Fuel Cells) are a type of fuel cell that uses a solid oxide as the electrolyte to generate electricity and heat. They can run on a variety of fuels, including natural gas, biogas, and hydrogen, and thanks to their high electrical efficiency, they can reduce carbon emissions compared with conventional fossil-fuel-based power generation. For this reason, they are drawing attention as a key technology for decarbonizing ships.

A representative of HD Hydrogen said, “With the International Maritime Organization (IMO) recently deciding to introduce carbon levies, demand for carbon neutrality in the global shipping industry is expanding,” adding, “Leveraging HD Hydrogen’s accumulated technological capabilities and know-how, this project will serve as the first step for eco-friendly, high-efficiency SOFC power plants to enter the maritime market.”

Meanwhile, HD Hyundai began developing SOFC systems at a fuel-cell research center established in 2018, and in 2024 it launched HD Hydrogen as a dedicated subsidiary specializing in hydrogen fuel cells and electrolysis systems to drive the business forward. HD Hydrogen plans to expand its product lineup by completing construction of its SOFC production plant in Pyeongtaek in the second half of 2025.