[Seatrade Maritieme/September 10, 2025] HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) have received approval in principle (AiP) from ABS for their concept design of a 16,000 teu container ship with an electric propulsion system.

ABS said it reviewed the power system designs against class requirements, including power generation, power conversion and propulsion motors.

The AiP marks the end of the first phase of the ship design project. HD Hyundai said it plans to advance to a second phase in 2026, applying energy storage systems and high-efficiency propulsion drives to further accelerate the commercialisation of zero-carbon ship technologies.

The class society and Korean yards have announced multiple AiPs this year, including for a very large ethane carrier cargo handling system, and a design model for a 15,000 teu nuclear-powered container ship using a small modular reactor.

The latest AiP was announced at GasTech in Milan.

“ABS, HD KSOE and HHI share a commitment to leveraging our combined resources and expertise to advance electrical applications in the maritime industry. This AiP is a milestone achievement, and we are proud to work alongside KSOE and HHI to help safely integrate electric propulsion technologies into large seagoing vessels,” said Joshua Divin, ABS senior vice president, marine business development.

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Byoung-Hun Kwon, head of the HD KSOE Electrification Center, said: “This achievement represents a strategic step toward meeting the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2050 carbon-neutral target. We will continue to strengthen the trust of global shipping companies by developing eco-friendly and high-efficiency ship technologies at the group level.”