KCC announced on the 24th that it has obtained eco-label certification from the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute for the ship internal paint EH4600 (HS), jointly developed with HD Hyundai (HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Hyundai Mipo, HD Hyundai Samho, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering), due to reasons related to regional environmental pollution, living environment pollution, and the reduction of harmful substances.
The eco-label certification is a national accreditation system that selects 'eco-friendly' products that can reduce energy and resource consumption and minimize pollutant generation throughout all processes, stages of production, distribution, use, and disposal among products of the same purpose, based on the 'Support for Environmental Technology and Environmental Industry Act.' The certifying authority is the Ministry of Environment, and the operating authority is the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute.
KCC and HD Hyundai signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding on Ship Painting Technology Development' in October 2023 to keep pace with the increasing importance of environmental sustainability in the shipbuilding industry and have embarked on developing interior paints and painting technology for ships. Given that they are developing paints for ship interiors where crew members live, they prioritized eco-friendliness while managing quality standards even more strictly.
The developed EH4600 (HS) has officially been recognized for its excellent environmental friendliness, including its effect on reducing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions during painting processes and the reduction of harmful substances in the product itself with this eco-label certification. It was developed as a high-performance product that secures rust prevention against the highly corrosive marine environment caused by salt, strong discoloration resistance, and excellent adhesion to all types of steel.
HD Hyundai selected this product as a 'standard paint' applied to non-flooded areas, such as internal living spaces for crew members, considering their safety and health. It possesses adhesion that can minimize one of the toughest tasks in the shipbuilding industry—surface treatment—thus, it will be designated as standard paint and will be expanded to ships that HD Hyundai builds or repairs in the future to enhance safety and work efficiency.
A KCC official said, 'The eco-label certification of EH4600 (HS) and its selection as standard paint by HD Hyundai will serve as a representative example that demonstrates the collaborative achievements of both companies based on eco-friendly technological capabilities.' The official noted, 'We will continue to enhance the competitive edge in building eco-friendly ships with the shipbuilding industry and contribute to achieving carbon neutrality goals.'
An HD Hyundai official stated, 'EH4600 (HS) is an innovative product that combines eco-friendliness and safety, playing a crucial role in ensuring the health and safety of crew members.' The official added, 'We will strengthen collaboration with KCC for sustainable growth and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) management.'