VINSSEN, a maritime decarbonisation technology specialist focused on hydrogen fuel cells and supporting systems, has received Approval in Principle (AIP) from the Korean Register (KR) for Korea’s first tug featuring a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system. This certification marks a significant milestone in the development of eco-friendly maritime technologies and underscores VINSSEN’s leadership in advancing the decarbonization of the shipping industry.
The AIP was granted following a joint research project initiated through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between VINSSEN, KRE (a leader in ship design, retrofit engineering, and maritime infrastructure engineering), and the Korean Register. The collaboration represents a major leap in applying decarbonization technology to high-carbon-emitting vessels, such as tugboats, and supports the maritime industry’s transition to sustainable operations.
VINSSEN leads the engineering of the eco-friendly hydrogen fuel cell propulsion systems, while KRE handles the tugboat’s base performance and layout engineering. This 2,700 kW hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric tugboat uses hydrogen fuel and stores excess electricity generated by the fuel cells in batteries for low-load operations, allowing for future energy demand preparedness. During high-output scenarios, the stored energy from the batteries supplements the fuel cell’s power to ensure stable and efficient propulsion, enabling peak-load operations.
VINSSEN provides a practical and scalable eco-friendly propulsion system for port operations, optimizing hydrogen energy use based on the tugboat’s operational profile. The system is designed to meet current and future environmental regulations while delivering exceptional performance in harsh and specialized marine environments.
VINSSEN Co., Ltd. is engaged in the development and manufacturing of eco-friendly propulsion systems for vessels using electric propulsion and hydrogen fuel cells. The company holds over 50 patents related to electric propulsion systems for ships, hydrogen fuel cells for ships, and electric propulsion leisure boats. Its goal is to convert vessels powered by diesel engines into eco-friendly vessels powered by electric and hydrogen technologies.
 from the Korean Register){kind=link}