- Signs Approval in Principle (AiP) agreement with the Korean Register (KR) at Posidonia on June 4

- Aims to ‘strengthen marketing efforts and build shipowner confidence’ at the same time through eco-friendly shipbuilding technology

- AiP Award Ceremony (From left: Cho Byung-sam, Senior Managing Director and Head of the Technical Approval Division at the Korean Register (KR), and Yoo Sang-cheol, CEO of HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (HJSC))

HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (HJSC) has received an Approval in Principle (AiP) from the Korean Register (KR) for the design of a 10,000-TEU biofuel-powered container ship.

The two organizations held an AiP Award Ceremony on the morning of June 4 at Posidonia, currently taking place at the Metropolitan Expo Center in Athens, Greece. HJSC CEO Yoo Sang-cheol and KR Senior Managing Director Cho Byung-sam attended the ceremony. Posidonia is widely regarded as one of the world's three largest shipbuilding and maritime exhibitions, alongside Nor-Shipping in Norway and SMM in Hamburg, Germany.

Biofuel for ships refers to a low-carbon fuel produced by blending conventional fossil-fuel-based marine fuel with a certain proportion of bio-based fuels derived from plant and animal oils. As global environmental regulations continue to tighten, including the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) carbon emission reduction measures, the European Union's FuelEU Maritime regulation, and the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), the use of biofuel has been increasing across the shipping industry and major ports worldwide, making it an increasingly important eco-friendly alternative fuel.

Interest in biofuel is also growing among shipowners attending Posidonia, increasing the need for shipyards to secure related technologies in advance and respond proactively to changing market demands.

HJSC began cooperating with KR last year to develop the technology. The global shipbuilder conducted research by applying a biofuel propulsion system to a 10,000-TEU container ship currently under construction. Development was completed last month, and the AiP was granted at the exhibition.

The approval is significant because it officially confirms that the design meets relevant regulations and safety requirements, while also verifying its technical feasibility and safety. In particular, the multinational shipbuilding company expects the technology to support future orders by strengthening its portfolio of high-value-added eco-friendly shipbuilding solutions for mid- to large-sized 10,000-TEU-class container ships. KR, meanwhile, expects the project to help accelerate the transition toward environmentally friendly vessels built in Korea.

- AiP Award Ceremony (Third and fourth from the left, respectively: Yoo Sang-cheol, CEO of HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (HJSC), and Cho Byung-sam, Senior Managing Director and Head of the Technical Approval Division at the Korean Register (KR))

CEO Yoo Sang-cheol stated, “The development of biofuel-powered container ship technology is expected to have a positive impact on our marketing and order-winning activities in the eco-friendly vessel market.” He added, “As decarbonized shipbuilding is essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we will continue to strengthen our technological competitiveness and build trust with shipowners.”