Ship classification society Korean Register (KR) has opened the world’s first green-ship equipment test certification centre in Gunsan, Jeonbuk, South Korea.

Built with the support of Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the governments of Gunsan City and Jeolla-buk province, the new facility will assist the R&D departments of marine equipment manufacturers to commercialise their activities.

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With the introduction of a certification system for green-ship technologies, the facility is expected to operate as an international green-ship hub.

"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."

KR chairman and CEO Dr BS Park said: "Our centre is equipped with the required high-quality facilities and technology for test, evaluation and certification.

"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."

This new facility will help KR to conduct testing and evaluation beyond its routine R&D work and also establish a base to lead the international standardisation of eco-friendly vessels.

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Moreover, it allows the classification society to respond to International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) greenhouse emission reduction and maritime pollution regulations.

The centre will be able to carry out testing, evaluation and analysis of diesel engines, precision measurement and analysis of combustion and emissions, and quality evaluation and analysis of fuel usage.

In addition, it will be capable of conducting evaluation and analysis of material corrosion and anticorrosion, as well as evaluation and analysis of thermal control and fluid application systems, and evaluation and analysis of hybrid power systems.

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