KRISO offers software for joint use by small and medium-sized enterprises- Medium-sized Ship Design and Engineering Project Group opens Corporate Design Room - □ The Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (President Booki Kim, hereinafter “KRISO”) opened a Corporate Design Room for small and medium-sized shipyards and ship design companies to utilize design and analysis software, thereby allowing them to enhance design quality and trim unnecessary costs. □ Various design and analysis software are involved in ship design and development, and they are useful in improving design quality. However, many small and medium-sized companies face difficulties in purchasing software due to high costs. □ The Corporate Design Room, opened by the Medium-sized Ship Design and Engineering Project Group (hereinafter “Project Group”), offers calculation equipment and eight types of design and analysis software* covering basic design, fluid analysis, and structural design. The room will be open to employees of small and medium-sized shipyards and design companies.      * Design/analysis software for joint utilization: NAPA, Star-CCM+, WAVIS, OptHull, Fegate, HullScan, NASTRAN, AVEVA Marine□ The Project Group plans to increase the rate of utilization of the Corporate Design Room by conducting training on software and equipment, and offering technical support depending on project needs. □ The Corporate Design Room, which provides technical services free of charge based on equipment and software acquired with government funding, is expected to revive the business environment for and medium-sized shipyards. □ Jeong-jun Kim, head of the Project Group, said, “I hope to see the Corporate Design Room being used by many small and medium-sized shipyards and ship design companies, and for them to benefit in terms of ship design quality and design competitiveness.”□ As part of the Medium-sized Ship Design Competitiveness Strengthening Project jointly organized by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Busan Metropolitan City, the Project Group has continuously provided technical support for small and medium-sized shipyards and design companies from its office in Busan.   

KRISO to develop Korea’s first LNG bunkering vessel for coastal ships- 500 LNG bunkering vessel to be complete in 2021 -□ The Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (President Booki Kim, hereinafter “KRISO”) announced that it will develop an LNG bunkering vessel, the first in Korea, to supply coastal ships with LNG fuel.□ Beginning this year, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has implemented a regulation called IMO 2020, requiring marine fuels to have lower maximum sulphur content, with a change from 3.5% to 0.5%. In response, the shipbuilding industry has developed ships that run on LNG. More than 360 LNG-fuelled ships are in operation around the world, and the supply of such ships is continuing to increase.□ Last December, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries designated the waters near Incheon Port and other major Korean ports as Emission Control Areas. From September onwards, the maximum sulphur content of marine fuels near the five major ports including Incheon Port will be set at 0.1%.□ To expand the LNG fuel supply infrastructure in Korea, KRISO has since 2018 participated in the LNG bunkering vessel development project under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. The steel cutting ceremony, marking the start of the construction of the LNG bunkering vessel, was held on May 7.□ The ship is Korea’s first LNG bunkering vessel for coastal ships. Capable of performing ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operations at sea, the vessel was developed purely based on domestic technology by Trans Gas Solution, POSCO, EK Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., Mytec, Valmax Technology, and Seoul Line.□ The vessel was jointly designed by KRISO and Trans Gas Solution, and KRISO completed the resistance performance evaluation using an experimental model. Trans Gas Solution designed the main process system and bunkering system. The LNG storage tank will be developed by POSCO using high manganese steel. The core components of the fuel supply system and the integrated fuel supply system will be developed by Mytec and Valmax Technology, respectively. EK Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. in Goseong, Gyeongsangnam-do Province is in charge of shipbuilding, and Seoul Line will be conducting trials and performance verification. All processes from design to trials will be inspected by the Korean Register.□ After completion in 2021, LNG bunkering tests will be performed on LNG-fuelled ships by 2022 to ensure optimal bunkering performance.□ Booki Kim, the president of KRISO, said, “Following the successful development of Korea’s first LNG bunkering vessel, we will secure related technology and infrastructure, so as to play a leading role in developing technology for ships that run on eco-friendly fuels.”

KRISO to develop shipbuilding and marine industrial technology with partners- MOU signed on development of future shipbuilding and marine industrial technology including technology for eco-friendly, autonomous ships - □ On April 23, the Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (President Booki Kim, hereinafter “KRISO”) signed an agreement on cooperation for the development of future shipbuilding and marine industrial technology at Ulsan City Hall.□ Besides KRISO, the list of participating partners included Ulsan Metropolitan City (Mayor Chul-ho Song), Hyundai Heavy Industries (President & CEO Young-seuk Han), the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (President Yonghoon Lee), the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (President Myung Joon Kim), the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (President Nak Gyu Lee), and the Ulsan IT Industry Promotion Agency (President Gwang-su Jang).□ The agreement allows institutes to jointly adapt to changes in the age of the fourth industrial revolution, and promotes mutual cooperation in research for the development of the maritime industry. The institutes will cooperate to △secure research competence for next-generation shipbuilding and maritime technology including eco-friendly and autonomous ship technology, establish infrastructure with stronger industrial competitiveness, △strategically foster and stimulate the shipbuilding and marine industry in Ulsan, and △discover new business and research opportunities for the future shipbuilding and marine industry.□ Through the agreement, KRISO has secured a cooperative network for the development of future shipbuilding and marine technology, including technology for eco-friendly and autonomous ships. Based on its outstanding research infrastructure and personnel, the institute is expected to play a leading role in the development of future-oriented advanced ships.□ Booki Kim, the president of KRISO, said, “KRISO has established the Alternative Fuels and Power System Research Center and Autonomous Ship Business Group to begin full-fledged development of maritime technology. By working closely with partner institutes and conducting joint research, we will foster new marine industries and create more jobs.”

Zero carbon emissions expected with development of eco-friendly ships- KRISO to develop eco-friendly fuels under new Alternative Fuels and Power System Research Center -- Selected as lead institute for Electric Car Ferry and Mobile Power Supply System Development Project by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries -□ The Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (President Booki Kim, hereinafter “KRISO”) announced that it will establish the Alternative Fuels and Power System Research Center in response to international maritime environment regulations and the shift in paradigm to eco-friendly ships.□ Recently, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008. To reduce air contaminants produced by ships, it is necessary to develop eco-friendly propulsion relying on carbon-free fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia, and electricity. Electric ships have emerged as a new trend in Northern Europe.□ Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries launched a project to promote electric car ferries* and develop a mobile power supply system, with the goal of reducing fine dust and carbon emitted by car ferries.* Ships capable of transporting passengers and cargo (cars). 165 car ferries are in operation in Korea, mostly near islands off the southern and eastern coasts.□ KRISO was selected as the lead institute of the project, and will receive 45 billion won in funding over five years up to 2024 (26.8 billion from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, 9 billion from local governments, and 9.2 billion from the private sector). KRISO will form a consortium with local governments (Jeollanam-do Province, Mokpo), government-funded research institutes (Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute, etc.), and private businesses (Raontech, etc.). The project will also involve the Korean Register (KR), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and University of South-Eastern Norway (USN).□ Under this project, electric car ferries capable of carrying 20 cars and 100 passengers will be developed. The car ferries will be completed by 2023, and technical stability will be secured from a year of trial operations.□ The portable power supply system to be developed as part of the project will facilitate power supply by adopting battery systems used in land vehicles, the first attempt of its kind. It can be utilized on islands, where power supply is not as stable as in the mainland.□ If the development of fully electric car ferries turns out successful, the coastal environment will be significantly improved as the amount of pollutants including fine dust and carbon will be lowered to zero.□ Beginning with the development of fully electric car ferries, KRISO’s Alternative Fuels and Power System Research Center will be actively conducting research on eco-friendly ship propulsion.□ Booki Kim, the president of KRISO, said, “Eco-friendly fuel propulsion technology will be a game changer that revives the shipping industry and secures competitiveness amidst catch-up efforts of developing countries. We will concentrate our resources in this area to gain a strong competitive edge, and contribute to elevating the global status of equipment manufactured in Korea.”

KRISO participates in relieving stress due to COVID-19- President and key position holders to donate part of income for four months -- Incubating companies in Offshore Industries R&DB Center to receive utility fee subsidies and support in running performance tests -□ On April 20, the Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (President Booki Kim, hereinafter “KRISO”) announced that it made a special donation to the Community Chest of Korea to help relieve the stress of COVID-19.□ As a government-funded institute, KRISO participated in the donation relay of organizations under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to do its part for the local community. The heads of participating institutes will return 30% of their income for four months, while key position holders in the rank of general manager or higher voluntarily choose to return part of their income.□ The full amount of donation will be used to support members of the community in distress due to COVID-19. Specifically, it will be used to distribute daily necessities to low-income families or socially vulnerable groups in Daejeon, and to purchase sterilizers and disinfectants for social welfare facilities.□ At the ceremony, President Booki Kim of KRISO, Daejeon Mayor Tae-Jeong Her, and President Tae-hee Jeong of the Community Chest of Korea discussed measures to overcome COVID-19 and consider directions for future collaboration.□ Prior to this donation, KRISO employees made a voluntary donation to the Hope Bridge Association of the National Disaster Relief in March. They are also actively participating in the consumer campaign launched by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries for executives and staff of public institutions to promote consumption of marine products, which has declined with the outbreak of COVID-19.□ In addition, KRISO has decided to subsidize utility fees for six small and medium-sized enterprises of the Offshore Industries R&DB Center (Geoje, Gyeongsangnam-do Province). It will support shipbuilding and offshore plant industries in the form of service and equipment performance tests, joint utilization of software, development of customized toolkits, and winning contracts for overseas projects. Thanks to these efforts, around 50 small and medium-sized enterprises are expected to save 1 billion won in performance tests and education this year.□ President Booki Kim said, “We hope our efforts will relieve the stress of citizens in the days of COVID-19. May we all work together for the shipbuilding and offshore plant industries to overcome the crisis.”

KRISO pursues free technology transfer of buoyancy support system to private sector□ The Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (President Booki Kim, hereinafter “KRISO”) announced that it will perform free technology transfers of buoyancy support system for ships to the private sector up to 2025.□ The buoyancy support system technology, which is the first to inject gas using the fire extinguishing main pipe, minimizes damage due to maritime accidents by delaying sinking. The buoyancy support, created using 3D laser scanning, can be installed in engine rooms and other complicated spaces, and lowers installation cost by at least 90% compared to existing systems as it relies on the fire extinguishing main pipe, already installed on most ships, for gas injection.□ The system has been registered as a patent in Korea, the United States, Japan, and the EU. Last December, it succeeded in publishing related ISO standards.□ According to the Korea Technology Finance Corporation, the buoyancy support system has a technological value of 3.74 billion won, and is expected to hit more than 140 billion won in sales if successfully commercialized.□ The team, comprised of Hee-jin Kang, Jin Choi, and Dong-gon Lee, said, “Ship accidents can have devastating effects on human life, the environment, and property. The free technology transfer of the buoyancy support system will accelerate commercialization, and pave the way to creating safer ships.”□ Companies interested in technology transfer may direct inquiries to KRISO’s Technology Licensing and Public Relations Center (042-866-3171).□ Booki Kim, the president of KRISO, said, “We will continue to work hard to achieve KRISO’s purpose of establishment, that is, to enhance the safety and quality of life of citizens, and to create maritime growth engines.”

KRISO and Korea Design Tech sign agreement on joint development of special-purpose cargo ships- Medium-sized Ship Design and Engineering Project Group to expand support for small and medium-sized ship design -□ The Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (President Booki Kim, hereinafter “KRISO”) and Korea Design Tech Co., Ltd. (CEO Byung-hee Choi) announced on April 9 that they have signed an agreement to jointly develop technology for the design of a 2,990-ton cargo ship.□ KRISO will be working with Korea Design Tech Co., Ltd. to design a 2,990-ton cargo ship, as ordered by Samgwang Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., Ltd. The Medium-sized Ship Design and Engineering Project Group of KRISO will offer support in basic design and engineering.□ The lower structure of the ship was improved in consideration of the possibility of the floor hitting the dock along the western coast, where there is a larger difference between low and high tides. Using software owned by the Medium-sized Ship Design and Engineering Project Group, the design will be improved to maximize stability.□ Jeong-jung Kim, head of the Medium-sized Ship Design and Engineering Project Group, said, “We will provide technical infrastructure to our design partner, and strengthen the cooperative system to enhance the design reliability of medium-sized ships.”□ The Medium-sized Ship Design and Engineering Project Group is also participating in a project aimed at enhancing the design competitiveness of medium-sized ships. With its office located in Busan, home to many small and medium-sized shipyards and design engineering companies, the Project Group offers support in various areas such as customized design technology support, conceptual design of next-generation medium-sized ships, and retraining of retirees of the shipbuilding industry.

The Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (“KRISO” hereinafter, President Suh, Sang-hyun) under the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology will host the Symposium on the Practical Use of Ocean Thermal Energy on Wednesday, November 2 at the Sol Beach Hotel & Resort in Samcheok, Gangwon Province. This event celebrates the launch of the construction of a seawater air-conditioning (SWAC) system using a 500 RT-grade turbo heat pump, which was developed by KRISO and funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and will be introduced to the resort upon completion. The symposium will be an excellent opportunity to promote the use of ocean energy as well. *A 500 RT-grade pump is capable of processing heat generated from a 16,530 square meter area for one hour. A SWAC system supplies heat needed for a building’s cooling and heating by using ocean (deep seawater, costal bottom water, beach filtered water, etc.) thermal energy. Because the temperature of seawater is 5-10 C 〫lower than the air during summer and 5-8 C 〫higher in winter, a heat pump using seawater as a thermal source (hereinafter “seawater heat pump”) makes it possible to supply chilled or hot water for heating and cooling purposes in an efficient manner. For cooling, a coolant (fresh water) is chilled either through direct heat exchange of deep seawater or by using a seawater heat pump and then used as a cooling source for a building. For heating, on the other hand, a heating medium (fresh water) is heated using a seawater heat pump and is used for heating a building and for supplying hot water. *Deep seawater: Cold seawater (2 C〫) that exists at a depth of over 200 meters A heat pump absorbs heat from a heat source at low temperatures and generates high-temperature heat, and is capable of supplying more energy by using less energy. It is a clean energy technology that does not generate any pollutants as it does not use fossil fuel and thus involves no fuel combustion. With the introduction of the SWAC system, the Sol Beach officials expect that the resort will achieve energy savings worth 150 million KRW by reducing its energy use by about 131.0 TOE annually. In addition, it will also be able to cut annual carbon dioxide emissions by about 255.5 t, which will contribute to establishing a foundation for low-carbon, clean production. *TOE (Tonnage of Oil Equivalent): Energy generated from burning one ton of oil. 1 TOE is 10,000 kal. In addition to the symposium, KRISO will also open an exhibition to showcase ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) and other technologies using seawater air conditioning techniques. The symposium will be an opportunity for participants to have comprehensive discussions on ways to promote practical use and spread of ocean energy, such as plans for ocean energy commercialization, and for increased practical utilization and spread of new and renewable energy. The day’s agenda includes a presentation by Kim Hyun-joo, Director of the Seawater Utilization Plant Research Center under KRISO, entitled “Overview of OTEC Technology and Ways to Promote Practical Use,” followed by lectures by Professor Choi Ju-yeop from Gwangun University on “Directions for Convergence of Ocean and Land New and Renewable Energy,” and by Dr. Oh Wi-yeong of KRISO on “Directions for Fostering an Environmentally Friendly Ocean Energy Town.” Professor Yoon Jeong-in from Bukyong National University will then preside over a discussion on “Comprehensive Overview of Ways to Promote Practical Use of Ocean Energy.” KRISO officials said that the institute will contribute to promoting domestic commercialization of ocean energy through continuous development of seawater thermal energy while endeavoring to bring Korea one step closer to commercializing the technology and using it for practical use through operation in island nations near the equator such as Fiji, Kiribati, and Tuvalu.

- Fostering cooperation in infrastructure and technology exchange in the field of underwater robotics - □ The Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (“KRISO” hereinafter, President Suh, Sang-hyun) and Korea Institute of Robot and Convergence (“KIRO” hereinafter, President Park Cheol-Hyu) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for cooperation in underwater robot research on Thursday, August 18, 2016 at KRISO. □ With this MOU, KIRO, Korea’s sole research institute dedicated to robot research, and KRISO, with ample R&D experience in the field of underwater robotics, have agreed to join forces in combining underwater robotics with cutting-edge robot and convergence technology in order to lay a foundation for expanding the human and industrial infrastructure needed to take the existing underwater robotics to the next level. □ KRISO, in particular, aspires to seek new convergence technology for underwater robots and to secure a foundation for commercializing underwater robotics by combining relevant technologies that have been accumulated from developing several underwater robot platforms including HEMIRE, Crabster, and MineRo over the past three decades, with KIRO’s own advanced robot convergence technology and various models of cooperation with private businesses. To this end, the two institutes will start holding regular seminars among their experts to foster technology exchange. □ “If we at KRISO can combine our research prowess in underwater robotics accumulated over the years with KIRO’s advanced robot convergence technology, we can play an important role in raising Korea’s standing as a leading nation of underwater robotics. I am looking forward to seeing stronger research capabilities at both KRISO and KIRO in terms of underwater robotics, as well as more vigorous exchange between the two institutes,” said President Suh of KRISO.