Today (28 May), the Korean Register – an IACS member classification society -formally opened the world’s first Green-ship Equipment Test Certification Center in Gunsan, Jeonbuk, Korea.

This large-scale facility will be operated by KR and has been built with the full support of Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the governments of Gunsan City and Jeolla-buk province.

In recent years, KR has been developing eco-friendly technologies through collaboration on a range of R&D activities with marine equipment manufacturers. The creation of this new international-level facility enables KR to carry out testing and evaluation beyond its routine R&D work and establishes a firm base from which to lead the international standardization of eco-friendly vessels. It also allows KR to respond to IMO’s greenhouse emission reduction and maritime pollution regulations.

The new center will assist the R&D departments of marine equipment manufacturers and help them commercialize their activities. The center is expected to operate as an international green-ship hub by introducing a certification system for green-ship technologies.

The center will develop, test and evaluate core green-ship equipment and technical services offered include:

– test, evaluation and analysis of diesel engines
– precision measurement and analysis of combustion and emissions
– quality evaluation and analysis of fuel usage
– evaluation and analysis of material corrosion and anticorrosion
– evaluation and analysis of thermal control and fluid application systems
– evaluation and analysis of hybrid power systems

Commenting on the opening of the new facility, Dr. B. S. Park, Chairman & CEO of KR said:

“This centre was created to provide our clients with holistic services covering technical consulting, engineering and certification. We are delighted to be the world’s first centre to offer a one-stop service for testing and certifying green-ship components and machinery in a single location. Our centre is equipped with the required high-quality facilities and technology for test, evaluation and certification. As a rule provider, KR not only delivers accurate technical services but also assists clients to achieve economic efficiency. This is a further example of KR operating beyond compliance and I am confident that this new facility will help our clients enhance their technical quality which will, in turn, have a positive effect on the shipping industry as a whole”