Fifth company worldwide to receive classification society type approval

A marine fuel cell system developed by Hanwha Aerospace. [Hanwha Aerospace]
A marine fuel cell system developed by Hanwha Aerospace. [Hanwha Aerospace]

Hanwha Aerospace said Tuesday it has become the first South Korean company to receive type approval from Korean Register (KR) for a maritime hydrogen fuel cell system — making it only the fifth company in the world to earn such certification from a classification society.

Type approval is the process by which a product is officially certified as meeting international maritime technology standards and classification society regulations. Without the certification, hydrogen fuel cells cannot be installed on vessels or offshore structures such as drilling rigs. To obtain it, a manufacturer must demonstrate both performance and safety under extreme maritime conditions. Hanwha Aerospace cleared KR's review of its manufacturing processes and quality management systems to secure the approval.

Hanwha Aerospace began developing a maritime hydrogen fuel cell system in 2024, working toward a 200-kilowatt product. That same year, it received approval in principle from Norwegian classification society DNV for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) for marine use.

The hydrogen fuel cell system that received type approval delivers energy efficiency exceeding 50 percent at its rated output of 200 kilowatts. The high efficiency translates into lower fuel costs and greater range on the same fuel load.

Demand for maritime hydrogen fuel cells is expected to grow as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) tightens carbon emission regulations. Hanwha Aerospace plans to use the certification as a springboard to equip commercial vessels with its fuel cell systems and expand the business overseas. "As stricter maritime environmental regulations are raising the importance of eco-friendly hydrogen fuel cells, we will accelerate our push into both domestic and international ship markets," a company official said.


yeongdai@heraldcorp.com