Samsung Heavy Industries Develops Korea’s First Marine Lithium-Ion Battery System

Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard. Photo: Panwasin seemala / Shutterstock.com

Samsung Heavy Industries has unveiled a marine lithium ion battery system intended to reduce fuel consumption, thereby reducing emissions and operating costs.

The battery system was developed jointly by SHI and Samsung SDI. On July 29, the system obtained a type approval certificate from DNV-GL, marking a first for a Korean manufacturer.

SHI describes the system as a means of reducing fuel consumption of generators “by optimally controlling and managing on-board generators and power load.” The company said the type approval certification allows the company to produce a lithium ion battery system at a reasonable price in Korea, instead of using costly similar systems predominantly supplied by large-scale equipment makers in Northern Europe, where environment regulations are stricter.

“The implementation of the recently developed modular battery system will provide high versatility to meet specific operational demands such as adjustment of battery capacity according to vessel size and power usage,” said Shim Yong-Lae, Vice President of SHI Ship & Offshore Research Institute. Not only that, we will be able to achieve cost competitiveness by using a domestic system. By securing the battery system technology applicable to all types of vessels, SHI will take the advantageous position in the competition for orders for vessels.”

SHI said it is now also working with Finnish technology company Wartsila on research and development of a wider application of lithium ion battery system-based energy storage systems.

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