ABS has completed a joint development project with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) for a high-efficiency 16,000-TEU ultra-large container ship equipped with a battery hybrid system.
As part of that work, ABS awarded approval in principle (AiP) to HD KSOE and HD HHI covering the vessel’s electrical analysis and electrical design, following design reviews conducted in accordance with class requirements. The project is aimed at integrating battery technology into a large commercial container vessel to improve efficiency and support emissions reduction goals.
ABS said the milestone builds on earlier work, including an ABS AiP awarded in 2025 for the first phase focused on electric propulsion systems. Joshua Divin, ABS Senior Vice President, Marine Business Development, said ABS is deepening collaboration to work toward a safer and more efficient maritime industry, and Byung-Hun Kwon, Executive Vice President and head of the HD KSOE Electrification Center, linked the achievement to progress toward the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2050 carbon-neutral goal.