HMM has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with four subsidiaries of Hanwha Group — Hanwha Power Systems, Hanwha Ocean, Hanwha Aerospace, and Hanwha Systems — along with Korean Register (KR), to develop a next-generation zero-carbon propulsion system for ships jointly.
The partners plan to design a propulsion system that generates thrust from ammonia-based gas turbines (GT) and electrical power from fuel cells, enabling fully carbon-free operation.
The project will focus on applications for container vessels and include the concept design of hybrid systems combining fuel cells and batteries, economic feasibility studies, and the development of new hull forms optimised for this solution.
The cooperation aims to leverage HMM’s operational expertise, Hanwha Group’s technical capabilities, and KR’s verification and classification framework to create a comprehensive, next-generation propulsion model.
This initiative supports HMM’s ‘Net-Zero 2045’ target, which has been advanced from its original timeline. The company continues to expand its decarbonisation strategy through the deployment of LNG dual-fuel and methanol-powered containerships in response to tightening environmental regulations and customer demand for cleaner logistics solutions.
