Fri 5 Dec 2008, 09:45 GMT

Fuel cell propulsion submarine is delivered


Vessel equipped with combined diesel-electric and fuel cell propulsion system.



South Korean shipyard Hyundai Heavy Industries Ltd. Co has completed the delivery of a Class 214 submarine, which runs on a combined diesel-electric and fuel cell propulsion system.

The vessel, named "Yung Yi", is the second of three Class 214 submarines which Hyundai has built for the national procurement agency DAPA. The South Korean Navy took over command of the submarine on 2nd December 2008.

The Yung Yi is equipped with an air-independent fuel cell propulsion system. The design and major components of the submarine were provided by the Kiel shipyard Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW), a company of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.

The Class 214 submarines for South Korea are being built under licence from HDW at the Hyundai Heavy Industries Ltd. Co. shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea.

The new submarine has a displacement of approximately 1,700 tons, is 65 metres long and operated by a regular crew of 27 men. It also has a combined diesel-electric and fuel cell propulsion system.

Equipped with ultra-modern sensors and an integrated Command and Weapon Control System, it is optimally suited to its future reconnaissance and surveillance tasks.

Besides Germany and Italy, South Korea is the third country operating submarines with the revolutionary HDW fuel cell propulsion system.


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