HD Korea Shipbuilding opens decarbonization R&D center

Korean shipyard conglomerate HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering said Sunday it has launched a new research and development facility dedicated to comprehensive testing of decarbonizing maritime technologies.

The Marine Innovative Decarbonization R&D facility, located at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries yard in Ulsan, was inaugurated in a ceremony attended by key executives, including HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering CEO Kim Sung-joon and Hyundai Mipo Dockyard CEO Kim Hyung-kwan.

The facility is designed to simulate the full sequence of shipboard cargo operations -- loading, operating and unloading -- employing technologies that reduce carbon emissions. Previous facilities were limited to examining specific functions, such as the supply of liquefied natural gas fuel to ships and the reliquefaction of LNG.

The facility’s comprehensive approach enables it to prevalidate eco-friendly equipment that will later be installed on actual ships. This is aimed at improving the reliability and safety of new ship types that utilize these green technologies.

One of the first projects at this new facility will be verifying the performance of reliquefaction equipment for liquefied carbon dioxide carriers, used for managing the state of carbon dioxide in transit, ensuring it remains in a liquid form under controlled temperatures and pressures.

Another project will test the capability of generating dry ice in ship cargo holds, a process that could improve the preservation and transportation of perishable goods.

Looking forward to 2026, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering plans to significantly expand the range of technologies and vessel types tested at this facility. It will begin testing a broader array of ship types and propulsion technologies that are less harmful to the environment, including vessels designed to carry ammonia, methanol and multigas combinations like carbon dioxide, ammonia and liquefied petroleum gas, as well as hybrid electric and hydrogen-fueled ships.

"With stricter environmental regulations on the rise, it's crucial we not only innovate but also confirm these technologies' reliability. We're determined to lead the eco-friendly ship market by rigorously testing our developments here," said an official from HD Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering.

Last year, the company delivered the world's first methanol-powered container ship and the Laura Maersk, the world's first ammonia-powered ship.