MoU to advance medium-voltage power systems on ships

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co Ltd (HD KSOE), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. (HHI), and ABS have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to assess the technical feasibility of developing medium-voltage direct current (MVDC) power systems for ships.

The partners will collaborate on design assessment, new technology qualification, and the development of appropriate rule guidance on technical requirements, safety standards, and regulatory compliance.

This latest initiative follows a series of other projects in which ABS and HHI have worked together in the past. They have jointly addressed the development of ammonia carriers, autonomous navigation, and green hydrogen production.

Patrick Ryan, ABS senior vice president and chief technology officer, said: “We are proud to partner once again with HD KSOE and HHI. Our companies are equally focused on the safety of the maritime industry while supporting a smooth transition to clean energy. Alternative energy options, particularly electrification, are needed to help the shipping industry achieve net zero by 2050.”

Head of the HD KSOE Electrification Center, Byoung-Hun Kwon, commented: “For the electrification/unmanning of large ships and ship systems, marine MVDC technology is essential, not optional, and we have successfully developed a low-voltage direct current power system (LVDC) in many projects, including the Ulsan Taehwa. Based on our experience in delivery, we will lead the large ship electric propulsion market by expanding our technology to the MVDC power system.”

The Ulsan Taehwa is a 2022-built passenger ship with a 751-kWh Corvus Orca energy storage system. Owned by Ulsan Information Industry, the vessel operates on routes in Asia.