Samsung Heavy Industries wins certification for “electric hybrid shuttle tanker” technology

[Financial News] Samsung Heavy Industries has secured basic approval for a hybrid system for shuttle tankers that uses batteries to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. The company is also stepping up efforts to expand its offshore plant business while strengthening its competitiveness in eco-friendly ship technology.
Samsung Heavy Industries said on the 14th that it had received Approval in Principle (AIP) from the Norwegian classification society DNV (Det Norske Veritas) for its “Shuttle Tanker Battery Hybrid System” at the 2026 International Offshore Energy and Plant Industry Exhibition (Offshore Korea 2026), held at BEXCO in Busan.
Shuttle tankers transport crude oil produced at offshore oil fields. While receiving crude oil offshore, they must operate small propulsion units called thrusters to maintain a steady position. It generally takes two to three days to receive the oil, during which fuel is continuously consumed to run the thrusters.
The key feature of the system developed by Samsung Heavy Industries is the addition of batteries to the vessel, where they serve as an auxiliary power source for position control. It is designed to operate the batteries alongside the existing engines, reducing engine load and enabling a stable power supply.
The system is expected to reduce fuel costs and the burden of carbon taxes by cutting fuel consumption and emissions. The company says it can also improve the safety of crude oil offloading, as the batteries can supply power if the existing thrusters encounter a problem. Samsung Heavy Industries plans to use the technology to improve shuttle tankers’ operational efficiency and economic viability and strengthen its competitiveness in the eco-friendly ship market.
Kim Seung-hyeok, head of Samsung Heavy Industries’ Machinery Design Team and an executive director, said, “Hybrid operation of batteries and engines enables a stable power supply.” He added, “We will expand the development of eco-friendly solutions, including those that minimize carbon emissions.”
Samsung Heavy Industries is also taking part in Offshore Korea 2026, which runs through the 16th, to showcase its offshore plant capabilities using the so-called “3X” technologies: digital transformation (DX), artificial intelligence transformation (AX) and robotics transformation (RX). At its exhibition booth, it is introducing its in-house design automation platform, S-EDH, as well as pipe-welding automation technology. It is also displaying models of the Delfin floating liquefied natural gas production, storage and offloading facility (FLNG), under construction at Samsung Heavy Industries Geoje Shipyard, and a floating data center (FDC) at sea.
[email protected] Jeong Won-il Reporter