Announced in 2012, the world’s first green-ship equipment certification centre opened for business earlier this month in Gunsan, Jeonbuk, Korea. The Korean Register – an IACS member class society – is a founding partner in this ground-breaking project.
Costing a total of 30 billion won (US$29.4 million), the new centre will test, evaluate and certify green-ship equipment. Fully supported by Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the centre will also carry out joint R & D projects focusing on green-ship technology, expand Korea’s test and certification business and attract related businesses to the area
The centre was created in response to IMO’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction and maritime pollution regulations and will enable KR and its partners to lead the way in certifying essential green-ship components, including engines.
Mr Jung Young-jun, Executive Vice President and acting Chairman & CEO of KR said:
“The completion of the centre means that we have created a solid foundation of infrastructure to certify green-ship components and machinery. This allows us to facilitate the development of technology to respond to IMOs greenhouse gas reduction and other environmental regulations. We expect to revitalize the marine equipment industry by establishing a holistic cooperative forum with relevant research institutes, organizations and academic institutions as well as shipyards and marine equipment businesses.
I am confident that this new centre will become a global focus for green-ship equipment and machinery resulting in KR and its industry and academic partners establishing themselves as leading authorities on maritime technology that is designed to lessen the impact on the natural environment.”
The new centre is equipped with an 8MW-class engine test-bed, hybrid power systems, a fuel Q/P and emission bench, Organic Ranking Cycle (ORC) systems and other facilities.
The 8MW-class engine test-bed is the first to be available anywhere in the world and is attracting significant interest from major shipyards.
