ABS, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) have completed a joint development project for a 16,000-teu container ship incorporating a battery hybrid system, with ABS issuing an approval in principle (AIP) for the vessel's electrical analysis and design at Posidonia 2026 in Athens.

The AIP, awarded to HD KSOE and HD HHI, covers the electrical analysis and electrical design of the proposed vessel, with ABS having completed design reviews based on class requirements. The latest approval follows an earlier AIP issued in 2025 for the project's first phase, which focused on electric propulsion systems.

Joshua Divin, ABS Senior Vice President, Marine Business Development, commented: "This AIP marks another important milestone in our ongoing work with KSOE and HD HHI to advance hybrid electrical systems for large commercial vessels. With safety as our guiding principle, ABS is committed to delivering the technical rigor and industry-leading guidance necessary to meet the deployment challenges these technologies present. We are proud to deepen this collaboration as we work toward a safer, more efficient maritime industry."

Byung-Hun Kwon, Executive Vice President and head of the HD KSOE Electrification Centre, remarked: "This achievement underscores our continued progress toward the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) 2050 carbon-neutral goal. We remain committed to strengthening the trust of global shipping companies and classification societies through continuous advancements in eco-friendly and high-efficiency ship technologies, including battery-integrated solutions across the group."