Hyundai to do hydrogen fuel cells for vessels

Hyundai will develop hydrogen fuel cell systems for ships, aiming to launch them for small vessels later in 2022.

It is collaborating with partner companies on the FCEV marine arrangement, planning to do mid to large-sized ships after the small vessel venture.

Hyundai Motor Company says the collaboration will usher in a new era of eco-friendly marine vessels and serve as a platform to identify and evaluate business opportunities for fuel cell-propelled ships.

It has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Hyundai Global Service, a South Korean manufacturer specialising in ship electric propulsion systems and a subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group, and Korean Register (KR), South Korea’s internationally recognised classification society, to develop and commercialise hydrogen fuel cell systems to propel marine vessels.

“This MOU signals Hyundai Motor’s entry into the fuel cell-powered marine vessel market, made possible through our cooperation with Hyundai Global Service and Korean Register,” Hyundai fuel centre head and executive vice president Saehoon Kim says.

“We hope our decades-long experience and capabilities in hydrogen fuel cell technologies, combined with the expertise of Hyundai Global Service and Korean Register in the maritime industry, will usher in a new era of greener and cleaner shipping.”

Hyundai Motor will supply the fuel cell systems and provide technical support, while Hyundai Global Service will manufacture and commercialise the fuel cell-based propulsion systems. Korean Register will be responsible for establishing standards for type approval, which all fuel cell-propelled vessels of varying sizes must meet to receive an approval for commercial use.

With its proven track record of fuel cell system technologies in the automobile sector, the company is actively expanding the application of its fuel cell technology to other areas and industries, including sea vessels, railways, power generation and more.

Hyundai Motor Group, the parent of Hyundai Motor, has also recently introduced ‘HTWO’, a new brand representing the group’s world-leading hydrogen fuel cell system.