HANJIN HEAVY INDUSTRIES

- Developed an eco-friendly CCS container ship together with WARTSILA
- Successful entry into the high-tech, eco-friendly shipbuilding market such as duel-fueled vessels, methanol propulsion ships and hydrogen-powered ships

- An MOU signing ceremony between HJSC and WARTSILA
(From the left, Jan Othman, Vice President of WARTSILA, and Kim Bo-eon, Executive Director of HJSC)

HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (HJSC) announced that it successfully developed an 8500TEU eco-friendly carbon capture & storage (CCS) container ship. As a result, the multinational shipbuilding company established its foothold to evolve into a global eco-friendly shipbuilder based on its accumulated technologies and knowhow for carbon neutrality such as LNG duel-fueled vessels, ballast water-free ships, methanol propulsion ships and hydrogen-powered ships. 

To respond to marine environmental regulations which have been further strengthened with a goal of ‘Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050’ set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in a proactive fashion, HJSC signed an MOU with WARTSILA, a Finnish engine maker for marine and energy industry, in April. Considering the global consumption of fossil fuels, it is essential to develop CCS technologies to achieve the Net-Zero goal. 

Both global companies worked hard over the past six months to develop next-generation, eco-friendly shipbuilding technologies for carbon neutrality in addition to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. WARTSILA’s CCS system was applied to HJSC’s 8500TEU container ship. As a result, a brand-new vessel which can capture carbon from the engine or boiler and keep it in a liquid state was developed. 

The Global CCS Institute anticipates that the global CCS market would grow by more than 30% every year and that the amount of carbon captured would reach 7.6 billion tons by 2050. Under these circumstances, the South Korean shipbuilder decided to develop technologies to take over the CCS market. 

In particular, the 8500TEU container ship is capable of capturing carbon dioxide very efficiently enough to meet the IMO’s regulations even with conventional petroleum-based fuel, not with methanol. In other words, such system can also be applied to LNG or methanol-fueled vessels, further reducing carbon dioxide emissions. 

The CCS system was optimized not to have any influence on the amount of cargo loaded. In addition, fuel consumption was minimized by energy-saving equipment. Carbon dioxide captured from exhaust gas is stored in a liquid state and later stored in an oil well or used in the industry. 

With the 8500TEU CCS container ship, HJSC ensured its technology competitiveness and even economic efficiency. Empowered by this success, the global leader targets to take over the carbon-zero market and the global CCS shipbuilding market. Considering such de-carbonization trend around the world, it is anticipated that the company would be able to actively respond to the rising demand for eco-friendly ships. 

An official from HJSC said, “The IMO’s environmental regulations have become stricter. At the same time, carbon capture technologies have drawn a lot of attention from people.” He continued, “We are going to keep pace with the world’s ‘Net Zero by 2050’ and secure leading technologies in the eco-friendly shipbuilding market.”