DSME picked to develop Korea's first hydrogen fuel cell tugboat

SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. (DSME) said Thursday it has been chosen to carry out a state-funded project to develop South Korea's first hydrogen fuel cell tugboat.

Under a deal signed with the government, DSME said it will develop a 3-megawatt-class battery-fuel cell tugboat based on its remote monitoring and control technology.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is in charge of the 23.5 billion-won (US$17.4 million) project, which aims to develop a hydrogen fuel cell tugboat and commercialize it in 2026.

The Korean-type, emission-free vessel will be tasked with pushing or pulling ships incapable of moving on their own at ports or along the coast, according to DSME.

Most tugboats that are currently in operation in the country are known not to meet carbon emission requirements set by the International Maritime Organization.

A DSME official said the project will help the shipyard contribute to South Korea's carbon neutrality goal and speed up the commercialization of zero-carbon vessels.

South Korea has vowed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 as part of its efforts to simultaneously respond to climate change and attain sustainable growth.

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