South Korea has taken a pivotal step in its maritime decarbonisation strategy with the launch of the country's first state-owned all-electric ferry, powered by ABB’s comprehensive electric power and propulsion system.
The ferry, constructed by Busan’s Kangnam Corporation, marks the beginning of an ambitious plan by South Korean government to transition 140 state-owned ships to clean energy by 2030, aligning with recent environmental mandates.
Sustainability and Decarbonisation Goals
Sustainable ferries are integral to South Korea’s initiative to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, as outlined in the Green New Deal established in 2020.
The newly launched ferry serves the North–South Port connection, significantly reducing local emissions and noise pollution. Port Manager of Busan Port Authority, Woong-Ki Lee, stated, "This vessel demonstrates Busan Port Authority’s commitment to cleaner, smarter port operations."
Efficient Power and Energy Management
The ferry utilises ABB’s Onboard DC Grid™ power distribution system
The ferry utilises ABB’s Onboard DC Grid™ power distribution system, which facilitates optimal battery output to the vessel's subsystems. ABB’s power and energy management system, PEMS™, oversees this distribution, enhancing fault tolerance and reliability.
Expert monitoring and support are provided by ABB Ability™ Collaborative Operations Centers around the world, ensuring operational safety and performance are maximised.
Advanced Connectivity and Charging
Equipped with dual 1,068-kilowatt-hour battery packs, the ferry operates emission-free and connects to the shore charging station via an optical communication link for automatic control.
The vessel requires about 90 minutes to fully recharge, providing up to two hours of operation. While docked, the vessel engages in stable optical communication for seamless charging management.
A Blueprint for Energy Efficiency
Riccardo Repetto, Global Segment Manager of Short Distance Shipping at ABB’s Marine & Ports division, highlighted the project’s significance as a model for enhancing energy efficiency and reducing emissions.
"The launch of this new passenger ferry is testament to both Busan Port Authority’s and South Korea’s decarbonisation ambitions. We are proud to have played an integral role in delivering South Korea’s first state-owned all-electric ferry," he stated.
Demonstrating a significant advance in South Korea’s strategy for maritime decarbonisation, Busan Port Authority (BPA) has officially launched the first state-owned all-electric ferry, with the end-to-end electric power and propulsion system supplied by ABB.
Built by Busan’s Kangnam Corporation, the new passenger ferry is the first realisation by South Korean authorities of their plan to replace 140 state-owned assets with ships running on cleaner energy sources by 20301, in line with environmental legislation.
Sustainable ferries will play a significant role in South Korea’s goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, as set out in the country’s Green New Deal announced in 2020.
Reducing local emissions and noise
“This vessel demonstrates Busan Port Authority’s commitment to cleaner, smarter port operations,” said Woong-Ki Lee, Port Manager, Busan Port Authority.
“By introducing an all-electric ferry to serve our North–South Port connection, we are reducing local emissions and noise while providing a replicable model for future harbor craft. ABB’s integrated electric propulsion and energy storage system has given us the efficiency, safety, and reliability we need to deliver a better experience for passengers and a healthier environment for our city.”
Power and energy management
ABB’s Onboard DC Grid™ power distribution system ensures optimal delivery of battery output to the vessel’s subsystems, with ABB’s PEMS™ power and energy management system controlling overall power distribution, increasing fault tolerance, and providing a high degree of reliability.
During operations, the ferry is remotely monitored and supported by experts from ABB’s global network of ABB Ability™ Collaborative Operations Centers. Remote support and connectivity, together with advanced data analytics enabled by the ABB Ability™ Remote Diagnostics System, further enhance the vessel’s operational safety and optimise performance while helping to promptly detect and correct faults on board.
Connectivity and charging duration
Equipped with two 1,068-kilowatt-hour battery packs for emissions-free operations, the vessel will take approximately one hour and 30 minutes to fully charge the battery using 500 kW of power, which enables about two hours of operation.
While the vessel is berthed, it is connected to the shore charging station via a stable optical communication link, allowing automatic control of charging and discharging from aboard.
Increasing energy-efficiency
“The launch of this new passenger ferry is testament to both Busan Port Authority’s and South Korea’s decarbonisation ambitions and provides a blueprint in pursuit of increasing energy-efficiency and reducing emissions,” said Riccardo Repetto, Global Segment Manager, Short Distance Shipping, ABB’s Marine & Ports division.
“The project also demonstrates the power of ABB’s Onboard DC Grid™ as an enabling platform for cleaner maritime operations. We are proud to have played an integral role in delivering South Korea’s first state-owned all-electric ferry.”
