Hanwha Power said on the 23rd that it has received approval in principle (AiP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the design of a 1,700-TEU battery-powered container ship.
The approved design is a concept design for a fully electric container ship equipped with a large-capacity battery energy storage system (ESS) of about 151 megawatt-hours (MWh).
The vessel draws propulsion power from containerized batteries and is designed to operate without direct carbon emissions while under way, in conjunction with port charging infrastructure.
The design uses containerized batteries that can be loaded as cargo units, improving the use of space for energy storage and maximizing vessel performance.
Hanwha Power plans to expand its portfolio of eco-friendly ship propulsion solutions and use that base to strengthen its business foundation for entering the next-generation zero-carbon maritime transport market.
The company has also completed a basic design for a 1,000-TEU battery-powered container ship, and intends to build a lineup of electric propulsion vessels that can meet a range of operating conditions and customer requirements, drawing on its design capabilities across hull types.
To ease the initial investment burden on shipowners, Hanwha Power will also review the potential application of various financing and operating models, such as battery leasing and battery-as-a-service (BaaS), as it moves toward commercialization.
"This ABS AiP marks an important step in extending Hanwha Power's eco-friendly vessel technology into the field of fully electric ships powered by large-capacity batteries," said Hwang Jong-kyu, executive director in charge of technology solutions at Hanwha Power. "Based on an integrated solution combining electric propulsion with containerized battery technology, we will respond to the next-generation zero-carbon maritime transport market."