Samsung Heavy Industries (010140.KS) said on the 14th that it has received approval in principle (AiP) from Norwegian classification society DNV for a battery hybrid system designed for shuttle tankers.
Shuttle tankers are vessels that take on crude oil from offshore oil fields and transport it. During the two to three days spent receiving crude at sea, the ships consume fuel continuously as they use small propulsion units called thrusters to hold their position.
Samsung Heavy Industries' system adds batteries to the vessel to supply auxiliary power for position control. That reduces engine load and allows power to be delivered more stably.
Because the system runs on electricity, it is expected to cut fuel costs and carbon tax payments. It also prevents delays in loading operations if an existing thruster breaks down.
"Hybrid operation of batteries and engines enables a stable power supply," said Kim Seung-hyuk, senior vice president and head of the machinery design team at Samsung Heavy Industries. "We will expand development of eco-friendly solutions that minimize carbon emissions."
Separately, Samsung Heavy Industries is taking part in Offshore Korea 2026, an international offshore energy and plant industry exhibition running from the 14th through the 16th at BEXCO in Busan, where it will present its S-EDH design automation platform and cases of digital, AI and robotics technology adoption.
The company will also display a model of the Delfin floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility under construction at its Geoje shipyard, along with a model of a floating data center (FDC) designed to overcome the drawbacks of land-based data centers, offering a view of world-class offshore plant technology.