The affiliates of South Korean conglomerate HD Hyundai – HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), HD Europe Research & Development Center, and HD Hydrogen – have signed a joint development project (JDP) agreement with Norway-based classification society DNV and German cruise operator TUI Cruises to explore the application of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems on cruise vessels.
As informed, SOFC is a fuel cell that generates electricity by reacting hydrogen, extracted from sources such as natural gas or ammonia, with oxygen. It is said to reduce carbon and pollutant emissions because it produces electricity without combustion.
SOFC reportedly produces a low level of noise and vibration while providing high power generation efficiency, making it suitable for cruise ships that require large amounts of electricity.
HD Hyundai noted it plans to secure global competitiveness by developing SOFC technology applicable to cruise ships, with a focus on the European market.
It is understood that the HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and the HD Europe Research & Development Center will establish safety design standards for applying SOFC systems to cruise ships over an eight-month period from June 2025 to February 2026, while HD Hydrogen will analyze the performance of its proprietary SOFC systems under various operating conditions based on its core technical data.
In addition, HD Hyundai is expected to develop technologies to recover and reuse waste heat generated by SOFC systems, which operate at high temperatures ranging from 600°C to 1,000°C. The company revealed that it also plans to explore solutions to partially reduce carbon emissions from SOFC systems by leveraging carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.
As part of the project, DNV will support regulatory compliance and contribute to overall safety from the initial design onward, and TUI Cruises will provide cruise ship-specific data relevant to SOFC application, along with installation requirements and operational specifications necessary for actual deployment, HD Hyundai said.
A representative from HD Hyundai commented: “This international joint development project marks a significant milestone in demonstrating HD Hyundai’s world-class decarbonization technology for ships in the European market. We hope to lead the maritime decarbonization initiative through our low-carbon, high-efficiency fuel cell technology.”
It is worth mentioning that HD Hyundai established HD Hydrogen in 2024 as part of its effort to enter the hydrogen fuel cell market. As disclosed, the company is collaborating with various shipping companies to expand the application of SOFC systems across multiple types of vessels.