Hanwha Ocean signs contract to build new icebreaker for South Korea

South Korea's Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) and shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean signed a contract on July 29 for the construction of a new icebreaking research vessel. The new ship is scheduled to be completed by December 2029.

The new icebreaker will have a gross tonnage of 16,560, more than double that of South Korea's first icebreaker, the Araon, which was built in 2009. The need for a second vessel has grown due to the expansion of research scope and stricter environmental regulations.

The new ship will feature an LNG dual-fuel electric propulsion system and will have bidirectional icebreaking capability, allowing it to break through ice up to 1.5 metres thick. It is also designed with cold-resistant performance down to -45 degrees Celsius.

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Jeon Jae-soo, said the new vessel will serve as infrastructure to promote scientific and resource cooperation in the Arctic. Hanwha Ocean CEO, Kim Hee-chul, added that the project is a critical issue that affects the country's national interests.