Hanwha Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan revealed Hanwha’s vision for maritime decarbonization at the annual session of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 17. The event was titled “The First Fossil-Free Ship on the Water.”
Vice Chairman Kim has expanded the scope of decarbonization via new renewable energies, such as solar, hydrogen, and wind power, into the maritime sector. Maritime transportation is responsible for 90 percent of global trade and a crucial means of transporting various energy sources. It holds a significant key to decarbonization as it contributes to 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Vice Chairman Kim has proposed the implementation of carbon-free gas carriers for maritime decarbonization, utilizing 100% eco-friendly fuels and featuring the capability for electric propulsion.
Hanwha is currently developing a gas turbine that operates exclusively on 100 percent ammonia, which represents a carbon-free technology capable of functioning solely on ammonia for propulsion.
Furthermore, Hanwha plans to achieve carbon-free electrification by equipping ships with hydrogen fuel cells and an energy storage system (ESS) as auxiliary power generation devices. Additionally, there are plans to install an ammonia cracker on board to produce the hydrogen required for the hydrogen fuel cells within the ship.
Vice Chairman Kim has also disclosed plans for the practical demonstration of carbon-free gas carriers. Hanwha intends to validate the stability of self-manufactured carbon-free gas carriers through various methods, with the goal of leveraging this verification to drive global demand.
In November of last year, Hanwha Ocean became the first domestic company to join one of the flagship programs of the Davos Forum, the First Movers Coalition (FMC). Through the FMC, Hanwha aims to strengthen collaboration with global companies and develop sustained decarbonization technologies in order to lead the way in achieving carbon neutrality.