HD Hyundai is moving to localize eco-friendly service operation vessels (SOVs) for offshore wind power.
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, the intermediate holding company for HD Hyundai's institutional sector in shipbuilding, said on the 14th that it recently signed a "mutual cooperation agreement for the joint development of a Korea-type offshore wind service operation vessel" with MARCON LC, a corporations specializing in offshore engineering and maritime consulting.
An SOV is a vessel that supports maintenance work for offshore wind turbines. It provides accommodations and workspaces so workers can stay at sea for extended periods and serves as a maintenance base within offshore wind farms.
As offshore wind farms have recently expanded to waters farther from land, the importance of SOVs has grown even more. When wind farms are located offshore, travel times increase and access is limited during bad weather, making it more efficient for workers to stay at sea and carry out maintenance work.
In Korea, demand for SOVs is also expected to gradually increase as the offshore wind market expands. Because there is still a lack of standard SOV models dedicated to offshore wind domestically, the need to develop a Korea-type model tailored to Korea's offshore environment and operating conditions has been raised.
Under this agreement, the two companies will jointly develop an eco-friendly Korea-type SOV optimized for the operating environment of domestic offshore wind farms, while also seeking to obtain approval in principle (AiP) from the Korean Register (KR).
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering will be responsible for developing core technologies such as eco-friendly propulsion systems, shipboard energy storage systems (ESS), and electrification and hybrid propulsion technologies. ▲ Gradually expand the number of vessels applying eco-friendly propulsion solutions ▲ Build a cooperative framework with domestic small and midsize shipyards ▲ Promote localization of offshore wind support vessels and equipment.
MARCON will play a key role in ship design and construction and in commercialization based on its know-how in building offshore support vessels and in offshore wind operation, maintenance, and repair infrastructure, as well as its operational track record. The two companies plan to expand the scope of cooperation going forward and continue collaboration across the full range of offshore wind operation and maintenance vessels.
A HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering official said, "Eco-friendly SOVs are core infrastructure for the stable operation of the offshore wind market," adding, "We will develop a Korea-type SOV based on superior eco-friendly propulsion technologies such as electrification and step up our push into the global market."