Hanwha Ocean to build next-gen icebreaking research vessel for polar missions

Hanwha Ocean said Tuesday it has been selected as the preferred bidder to construct Korea's next-generation icebreaking research vessel, which is expected to significantly enhance the country's polar exploration capabilities. The shipbuilder was selected as the preferred bidder for the project led by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, which aims to develop an advanced research vessel capable of navigating extreme polar conditions. The new icebreaker, scheduled for delivery by December 2029, will enter the design phase after the main contract is signed later this month. It will serve as a successor to the Araon, Korea's first icebreaking research vessel launched in 2009, and is expected to support polar research in response to accelerating environmental changes and strengthened eco-friendly regulations. At 16,560 tons, the new vessel will be more than twice the size of the Araon and will feature a dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) electric propulsion system, enabling it to break through ice up to 1.5 meters thick in both forward and reverse directions. The vessel will also be capabWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times