Mokpo City completes relocation of KRISO Eco-Friendly Fuel Propulsion Research Center to Namhang... Laying the foundation for becoming a research base for eco-friendly ships

Mokpo City and the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology's Ship and Offshore Plant Research Institute (KRISO) collaborated to move the Eco-Friendly Fuel Propulsion Research Center to Mokpo South Port and begin operating it. They announced on the 28th that they plan to use the 30MW electric propulsion system test facility to verify ship performance and safety and support the commercialization of eco-friendly ship technology.

Cooperation between Mokpo City and KRISO began in earnest in 2020 with the ‘Eco-friendly Coastal Ship Cluster Construction Business Agreement’.

We have been pushing for the attraction of national research and development projects and the expansion of research facilities, and with the completion of five research facilities, including the Namhang Research Building, Power Test Building, and Charging Test Building, in the first half of this year, we have established a foundation for research and verification.

Currently, the city and KRISO are pursuing a total of 7 projects worth 240 billion won, including the development of eco-friendly ship test and evaluation verification technology.

In particular, we plan to use research infrastructure, including a 30MW electric propulsion system onshore test facility, to verify the performance and safety of ship propulsion systems and core equipment, and to establish a land-sea linked demonstration system to support the commercialization of eco-friendly ship technology.

With this opportunity, the city laid the foundation to become a maritime industry research base leading the development and verification of eco-friendly ship technology.

With 23 researchers and other researchers residing in Mokpo, the eco-friendly ship research and verification infrastructure built in South Port and national professional research personnel are gathered in one place.

The city plans to go beyond establishing a research base and connect research results to attracting companies and creating jobs.

We plan to increase the technological competitiveness of local shipbuilding and equipment companies by strengthening joint technology development and testing and evaluation support with KRISO, and expand the foundation for growth of the local industry by attracting small giant companies in the eco-friendly ship field and nurturing professional manpower.

A city official said, "The relocation of KRISO's core research organization to Mokpo is an important opportunity for South Port to become a full-scale eco-friendly ship research and verification base. We will increase the competitiveness of the local industry by connecting research and verification capabilities to attracting companies, commercializing technology, and nurturing professional manpower."