DNV, HD Hyundai Mipo (HMD), and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish new standards for testing electric propulsion systems in ships.

The collaboration will utilise digital twin technology to enhance the “safety and efficiency” of electric-powered vessels.

The partnership aims to tackle the challenges associated with integrating complex vessel systems for electric propulsion.

By employing digital twins and hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) testing, the initiative seeks to facilitate integration tests at an earlier stage.

The partnership is working towards the verification of these digital assets to enable the integration process.

Moreover, when systems from various suppliers are evaluated together, having consistent requirements and HiL testing procedures ensures the “reliability” of the testing procedures.

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HD Hyundai Mipo quality management head Kitae Kim said: “Through this technical collaboration we aim to establish clear and practical digital twin-based testing procedures and standards. These can foster broader industry participation and ensure the reliability of results.”

The project will also concentrate on the management of digital assets throughout the vessel’s life cycle, aiming to maximise their long-term value.

Verified component models could be used in a “plug-and-play” fashion, allowing for easy updates and integration of new systems into the simulation environment.

This initiative is set to lay the groundwork for the use of class-verified digital assets in more extensive and earlier HiL testing.

It is in line with DNV’s Data-driven Verification (DDV) notation, designed to ensure the “reliable” performance of complex systems.

DNV Maritime and Centre Korea approval head Andreas Kristoffersen said: “This MoU highlights HMD, KSOE and DNV’s commitment to driving digitalisation in the maritime industry.

“By adopting digital twin-based testing for complex systems, we are working together to shape the future of maritime operations and set new industry standards for safety and performance.”

Last month, DNV introduced a new competence standard and recommended practice to ensure the safe use of methanol and ammonia as ship fuels, supporting the maritime industry’s shift towards sustainable alternatives to reduce its carbon footprint.

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