Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) President Kim Woong-seo announced that, as the third achievement of its Regional Revitalization Project (RRP), the institute provided specialized marine battery pack technology to Penguin Ocean Leisure, which develops eco-friendly leisure vessels. The company’s vessels are powered by hydrogen fuel cells and specialized marine batteries, which give them the advantages of stability and eco-friendliness.

Conventional leisure ships are powered by internal combustion engines or batteries. Vessels that use diesel or gasoline cause pollution and noise in the marine environment, while those powered solely by batteries require long charging times, have durability issues, and are subject to fire risk in the case of an accident.

The company’s newly developed vessel uses hydrogen, which is a clean source of energy, so there is no risk of marine pollution. In addition, the specialized marine battery is an energy storage device that charges and discharges electricity using sodium ions in seawater. It is not prone to issues that plague other batteries, such as short battery life, and KIOST’s technical solution has resolved the common problems of conventional marine batteries, which include corrosion and breakdown due to seawater exposure.

KIOST’s technical solution has also dramatically increased operating time. Penguin Ocean Leisure and Pureuntek Energy designed the vessel in such a way that the hydrogen is stored in a cartridge that is mounted in a cylinder and can be replaced with another cartridge after use. Compared to a vessel that must return to shore to recharge its batteries, the vessel designed by these two companies has significantly improved operating efficiency. In the future, if related laws are amended to allow for the installation of high-efficiency, high-pressure hydrogen tanks, the continuous operation time of the vessel is expected to increase from the current four hours to up to 16 hours or more.

Under the RRP, which is being carried out with the support of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Ulsan Metropolitan City Office, seven participating organizations, including KIOST and the Ulsan Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), provide technology support to small- and medium-sized manufacturers. One of the main projects of the RRP is the development of specialized batteries that are safe to use in marine environments. Participating organizations are also helping companies suffering amid the aftermath of COVID-19 and under the burden of marine environment regulations to reorganize their businesses and strengthen their capabilities in line with the changes in the external environment, including the expansion of eco-friendly energy.

CEO Kim Ja-woo of Penguin Ocean Leisure Co., Ltd. said, “Since our products, including semi-submersible leisure vessels and marine leisure equipment, mainly use electric motors, our products have always had a risk of battery exposure to seawater, corrosion, short circuit, and problems during battery charging and discharging.” With the help of KIOST and UNIST’s Seawater Resources Technology Research Center, we have been able to develop new products that are more suitable for the marine environment.”

President Kim Woong-seo said, “As interest in marine leisure is increasing due to people’s increasing incomes and leisure time, the demand for eco-friendly leisure vessels is expected to be high.” He added, “In the future, we will not only focus on new research and development, but also share our technology and know-how to help revitalize regional industry.”