Hanwha Aerospace announced on the 10th that it has obtained type approval from the Korean Register (KR) for a marine hydrogen fuel cell, marking the first such approval in South Korea. Globally, it is the fifth.
Type approval is a procedure to verify whether a product complies with international maritime technical standards and classification society regulations. It is a mandatory step before installing hydrogen fuel cells on marine structures such as ships or drilling platforms. Hanwha Aerospace passed tests simulating various maritime environments, including vibration and tilt. The company also completed an audit of its manufacturing processes and quality management systems.
Since 2024, Hanwha Aerospace has been developing a 200-kilowatt-class marine hydrogen fuel cell system. In the same year, it received Approval in Principle (AiP) from Norway's DNV for a marine polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC).
The hydrogen fuel cell system that recently received type approval maintains an energy efficiency of over 50% even at its rated output of 200 kilowatts. The company explained that the system is suitable for long-distance vessels because it reduces fuel consumption while enabling longer voyages with the same amount of fuel.
As carbon emission regulations in the international shipping industry tighten, interest in eco-friendly marine power sources is growing. Hydrogen fuel cells are considered one of the technologies capable of replacing existing fossil-fuel-based propulsion and power generation systems, as they do not directly emit carbon dioxide during the power generation process.
Hanwha Aerospace plans to use this certification as a stepping stone to promote the installation of hydrogen fuel cells on commercial vessels. The company aims to expand its supply base to overseas shipyards after accumulating domestic project track records.
A Hanwha Aerospace official said, "As the importance of eco-friendly hydrogen fuel cells grows with stricter maritime environmental regulations, we will accelerate our efforts to capture both domestic and international vessel markets."
in INDUSTRY
