The Korean Register (KR) has signed an agreement with STX Energy Solutions (STX ES) and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) to work together on the technology standardisation and commercialisation of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), energy power generation facilities which produce electricity through the electrochemical reaction of oxygen and hydrocarbons from oxidising LNG.
STX ES will be in charge of developing and supplying SOFC systems for ships. DSME will manage the onshore testing and evaluation of SOFC systems for ships as well as the SOFC ship application concept research and demonstration project planning and execution. KR will evaluate and certify the technical capabilities of SOFC products for ships and will ratify and revise related regulations for safe ship mounting and operation.
Koreans are working hard on fuel cell developments. In 2020, Bloom Energy and Samsung Heavy Industries, another Korean shipbuilding heavyweight, signed a joint development agreement (JDA) to design and develop fuel cell-powered ships.
Haeki Jang, vice president of shipbuilding and drilling sales engineering at the Korean yard, commented at the time: “Our goal is to replace all existing main engines and generator engines with these highly efficient solid oxide fuel cells.”
