According to industry sources, HD Korean Shipbuilding, the intermediate holding company of HD Hyundai's shipbuilding division, recently signed a mutual cooperation agreement with MARCON LC, a company specializing in marine engineering and offshore consulting, to jointly develop Korean-style offshore wind support vessels.
SOVs are vessels that assist in the maintenance and repair of offshore wind turbines. They provide accommodations and workspaces for workers, serving as a maintenance hub within offshore wind farms.
As offshore wind farms expand into more distant waters, the importance of SOVs has increased. When wind farms are located offshore, travel times lengthen, and access can be restricted during adverse weather, making it more efficient for workers to stay at sea to perform maintenance and repair tasks.
Under this agreement, the two companies will collaborate on the joint development of eco-friendly SOVs optimized for the operational environment of domestic offshore wind farms, while also pursuing basic certification (AiP) from the Korean Register (KR).
To achieve this, HD Korean Shipbuilding will focus on developing key technologies, including eco-friendly propulsion systems, energy storage systems (ESS) for vessels, and electrification and hybrid propulsion technologies. Specifically, they plan to gradually expand the application of eco-friendly propulsion solutions, establish cooperative frameworks with domestic small and medium-sized shipyards, and promote the localization of offshore wind support vessels and equipment.
MARCON will play a crucial role in the design, construction, and commercialization of the vessels, leveraging its expertise in building marine support vessels and its operational experience in offshore wind maintenance and repair infrastructure. The two companies plan to expand their collaboration to cover all aspects of offshore wind operation and maintenance vessels.
An official from HD Korean Shipbuilding stated, "Eco-friendly SOVs are a key infrastructure for the stable operation of the offshore wind market. We will develop Korean-style SOVs based on excellent eco-friendly propulsion technologies, strengthening our efforts to penetrate the global market."
Meanwhile, HD Korean Shipbuilding is also accelerating its digital transformation. Following the delivery of the world's first vessel equipped with an AI-based automation system, the company is now focusing on enhancing autonomous navigation technology and developing hydrogen fuel cell systems to secure a competitive edge in the future marine mobility market.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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