The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the University of Ulsan's Foundation for Industry Cooperation (UOUFIC) and the Korea Hydrogen Industry Association (KHIA) to build a small tourism vessel equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell.

The 40-seat ship, which will be outfitted with a 350-kilowatt fuel cell, qualifies as a research, development and demonstration (RD&D) project under South Korea’s national hydrogen strategy, according to Offshore Energy.

“ABS is proud to explore new technologies and work together on innovative projects with knowledgeable stakeholders such as KHIA and the University of Ulsan,” said Vassilios Kroustallis, ABS’s senior vice president of Global Business Development. “We look forward to supporting this hydrogen vessel project with our deep technical knowledge and regulatory expertise to enhance the safety of the maritime industry and bring about a smooth transition to clean energy.”

In June 2023, ABS released a set of guidelines to help the industry with its use and development of hydrogen-fueled vessels. The publication, dubbed the ABS Requirements for Hydrogen Fueled Vessels, mentions numerous projects including the Veer Voyage, a wind-powered containership that uses green hydrogen as a fuel source, as well as an ABS-classed, Glosten-designed hydrogen-powered research vessel for the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography.