Republic Of Korea News

Hyundai Mobis has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Republic of Korea Marine Corps for cooperation on technology that is expected to alleviate motion sickness for marines traversing rough terrains from sea to land, enhancing combat performance.Last year, Hyundai Mobis developed the 'Smart Cabin Controller,' analyzing a driver's posture, heart rate, and brainwaves to prevent drowsiness, stress, and motion sickness.The MoU marks the first application of the technology in the broader mobility sector…

Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry are co-leading an international initiative to accelerate reduction of emissions from the shipping sector, and on December 1, during COP28, they chaired a new round of announcements under that initiative, the Green Shipping Challenge.Various countries and organizations proposed measures to reduce emissions from shipping. This year’s announcements include:• Amazon: Amazon and other…

The IMO and the Republic of Korea have signed a suite of agreements to formally establish and boost the IMO-Republic of Korea Sustainable Maritime Transport Cooperation (SMART-C) program.The goal of the KRW 25.5 billion (approximately $20 million) SMART-C program is to promote sustainable maritime transport systems and a sustainable marine environment by building knowledge and developing technical capacity in developing countries via long-term thematic projects.This Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding will ensure long-term programming of several technical cooperation projects.

Ørsted has secured approval for a 1.6 GW Electricity Business License from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of the Republic of Korea.The license grants Ørsted exclusive development rights for a gigawatt-scale offshore wind project 70 kilometers off the coast of Incheon City, Korea. The project has the potential to support Incheon City’s net-zero target with a capacity to provide renewable energy to over a million households whilst reducing carbon emissions by approximately 4 million tonnes annually.The country aims to be carbon neutral by 2050.Per Mejnert Kristensen…

The 2023 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea has been presented to Caleb Halle, Aviation Survival Technician Second Class (AST2) of the United States Coast Guard (USCG). He was recognized for the outstanding courage, endurance and determination he showed during the rescue of the seven-strong crew of the tugboat Legacy in January 2023.AST2 Halle, based at the Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, received the award at the annual IMO Awards Ceremony in London. The ceremony…

The United States commissioned a warship in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday, the first time a U.S. Navy vessel joined active service at a foreign port, as the two close allies step up their military ties in response to China's expanding regional reach.The Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS-30)—named after a Royal Australian Navy cruiser that was sunk while supporting the U.S. Marine landings on Guadalcanal in 1942—was commissioned at a ceremony at an Australian naval base on Sydney Harbour, officially joining the U.S.

South Korean shipyard Hanwha Ocean has developed its own anti-vibration paint designed to improve operational performance by reducing vibration and noise.The material is designed for surface warships.For the past 30 years, damping materials have been dependent on imports from the US and Germany, says Hanwha, which has meant that the yard has sometimes had to over-order to meet minimum order requirements, resulting in waste.“The anti-vibration material developed by Hanwha Ocean is cheaper than imported products and can be used without problems in terms of minimum order quantity or customs proce

Seven IMO Member States have nominated a candidate for the post of Secretary-General of the IMO in what could be a win for diversity in maritime.Three of the seven are women, and if elected, Nancy Karigithu of Kenya would also be the first African to hold the post. The other female nominees are Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry (Dominica) and Minna Kivimäki (Finland).They are joined by nominees Moin Uddin Ahmed (Bangladesh), Suat Hayri Aka (Türkiye), Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco (Panama) and Zhang Xiaojie (China).The term of the current incumbent…

The Northwest Seaport Alliance announced its newest decarbonization effort as part of the Green Shipping Challenge at the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP 27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh.The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), the marine cargo partnership between the Port of Tacoma and the Port of Seattle, announced its partnership with the Republic of Korea, the Busan Port Authority, and the United…

The 2022 biennial, multi-national Rim of the Pacific's (RIMPAC) exercise has come to a close.This year’s exercise with the theme of “Capable Adaptive Partners,” featured 26 participating nations and 38 surface ships, three submarines, more than 30 uncrewed systems, approximately 170 aircraft, and more than 25,000 personnel.RIMPAC 2022 featured a wide range of capabilities--projecting the inherent flexibility of maritime forces and helping to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, and took place in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California, June 29 to Aug.

The Emirates Classification Society (TASNEEF), an initiative of the UAE’s Ministry of Defense, announced it has been accepted as a member in the Association of Asian Classification Societies (ACS) following a detailed evaluation of its technical capabilities and performance efficiency of its standards and specifications.This achievement, which comes around the same time as the UAE’s reelection to IMO Council under category B for the third time, will add immense value to the UAE’s maritime sector…

The Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has elected the Members of its Council for the 2022-2023 biennium.The Council is the executive organ of IMO and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the Organization. Between sessions of the Assembly, the Council performs the functions of the Assembly, except that of making recommendations to Governments on maritime safety and pollution prevention.The Assembly of the International Maritime…

Bureau Veritas (BV) has granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) to Hyundai Heavy Industries for its design and development of “Hi-Float”, a floating offshore wind turbine foundation. The offshore floating wind substructure “Hi-Float” is designed to support a 10MW wind turbine with semi-submersible and mooring technology. According to a press statement issued by BV, at Hi-Float,  a passive ballast system ensures that risk is kept to a minimum during offshore operations. The good…

Italian energy industry giant Eni said Monday it had held the naming and sail away ceremony for the Coral-Sul FLNG unit, the first floating LNG facility ever to be deployed in the deep waters of the African continent. The event took place at Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard in Geoje, South Korea, in the presence of Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of the Republic of Mozambique, and H.E. Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea.The FLNG, which is part of the Coral South Project, will be now towed and moored at its operating site in the Rovuma basin offshore Mozambique.

Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd (SHI) received an Approval in Principle (AiP) for an LNG carrier design under Bureau Veritas’ (BV) Cyber Managed Prepared notation. The certificate was delivered to the Hyun Joe Kim, Vice President of SHI, by Christophe Capitant, Chief Country Executive of BV Korea, at a ceremony on SHI R&D Center in Daejeon, Republic of Korea.SHI has received the AiP for its SVESSEL smart ship solution, which focuses on complete digitalization of the ship and its applications.

Babcock International Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd (HHI), to focus on the Republic of Korea’s CVX Aircraft Carrier Program opportunity.John Howie, Babcock Group’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, signed the MoU on behalf of the company with Mr. Sam-Hyun Ka, CEO, Korean Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering (KSOE), the holding company of HHI at the Babcock Korea Limited facility in Busan. The agreement brings the two parties closer together…

The U.S. Justice Department (DoJ) on Friday announced the seizure of a 2,734-ton tanker it said was owned and operated by a Singaporean national and used to make shipments of petroleum products to North Korea in violation of international sanctions.A DoJ statement said the M/T Courageous was seized by Cambodian authorities in March 2020 in accordance with a U.S. warrant, having been used to transfer oil products to North Korean vessels and to make direct shipments to the North Korean port of Nampo."Criminal charges of conspiracy to evade economic sanctions on the DPRK and money laundering conspiracy are pending against the alleged owner and operator of the Courageous…

Fincantieri signed a contract with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) to support the Conceptual Design of the new class of aircraft carriers “CVX” for the Navy of the Republic of Korea (South Korea).The program relating to the first-in-class unit envisages the tender for the Basic Design starting from the second half of 2021, whereas the detail design and construction will begin in the following years.The signing took place between Jung Woo Sung, Vice President Naval & Special Ship Marketing Division of DSME…

South Korean shipbuilding giant Hyundai Heavy Industries' Floating LNG to Power solution - Hi-FL2P - has been granted an approval in principle certificate by the global classification society Bureau Veritas.‘Hi-FL2P’ has been described as an ‘All-in-One Type’ Floating LNG Power Plant where all equipment and systems that are required for the power generation and transmission including LNG containment, gas supply system, and power plant are installed in one unit to function as a stand-alone power plant.The ‘Hi-FL2P’ was developed in a Joint Development Project with  Bureau Veritas.

A Sydney base pump manufacturer and defense contractor has won a contract, to supply 3” engine drive salvage pumps for the Republic Of Korea Navy. The pumps are unique and have application not only in Korea, but in warships and support vessels throughout the world."The original requirement was for a lightweight portable diesel drive salvage pump, capable of handling saltwater,” said Chief Engineer, John Hales. "We'd already developed high pressure firefighting pumps for seawater applications in the form of both the Seamaster and Sea Skipper diesel drive machines’…

The Isle of Man Ship Registry has retained its place within the United States Coast Guard’s QUALSHIP 21 program, designed to recognize foreign-flagged vessels that maintain the highest safety and quality standards.Isle of Man Ship Registry director Cameron Mitchell said continued inclusion in the scheme through to July 2021 was great news for the registry and its clients, representing further independent verification of the quality of the Manx fleet.Entry into the program is based on data gathered during Port State Control inspections in the United States.

GE’s Power Conversion business has been awarded a $40 million contract to supply the power and propulsion systems for two National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV). This new class of purpose-built ships for the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) will be used primarily to provide cadets with at-sea training on operational vessels.GE was selected as the single-source vendor (SSV) for the ships’ propulsion system, which includes the integration of the diesel engines…

The U.S. State Department called on Iran on Monday to immediately release a South Korean-flagged tanker that it seized in the Gulf and accused Tehran of threatening freedom of navigation as a way to extract relief from economic sanctions.“The (Iranian) regime continues to threaten navigational rights and freedoms in the Persian Gulf as part of a clear attempt to extort the international community into relieving the pressure of sanctions. We join the Republic of Korea’s call for Iran to immediately release the tanker,” said a State Department spokesperson on condition that they not be identified.(Reporting By Arshad Mohammed and Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)