The introduction of electric vehicles in global markets is being delayed due to the 'electric vehicle chasm'. Of course, this atmosphere is a temporary delay, and it ultimately means that zero-emission vehicles such as electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will become widespread.


As global climate change caused by global warming gases worsens, various disasters are increasing in number, and with emissions from mobility accounting for approximately 20% of total emissions, a swift transition to eco-friendly mobility is required.

Our country is also promoting the spread of electric vehicles through active subsidy policies and is focusing its efforts on popularizing chargers, focusing on rapid chargers.

The recent electric vehicle fire in an apartment complex's underground parking lot still leaves a lingering 'electric vehicle phobia', which is further hindering the spread of electric vehicles. This is an issue we must address.

The biggest problem, of course, is that the eco-friendliness of ships, which represent maritime mobility compared to land mobility, is very slow.

In our country, which is surrounded by the sea on three sides, the number of coastal vessels engaged in the fishing industry is so large that it is difficult to calculate.

In particular, the level of emissions from diesel ships is said to be far greater than expected, not to mention the pollution caused by aging ships.

Not only are various harmful exhaust gases emitted from ships significant, but seawater pollution caused by similar oil is also significant, and it is difficult to estimate the amount of pollution emitted from illegal discharges or ship accidents.

In relation to this. Since the actual situation has not been properly investigated, quantitative measurement is not easy.

The way to solve this fundamental problem is to quickly replace aging diesel ships with eco-friendly ships.

Just as with converting existing internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles, this is at least a method of replacing them with hybrid or electric ships.

The biggest problem, of course, is that maritime transportation has significant technological limitations compared to land transportation.

In the case of ships that travel on the sea, the investment cost is extremely high compared to their size, and the risk of electric leakage or electric shock is high due to the nature of electrical energy that must be kept away from water.

Even in the global market, the development of eco-friendly maritime transportation is limited to a few companies and occupies a monopoly, which poses a challenge for us.

Although the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has been conducting various research and development and policy studies, including on the spread of eco-friendly ships, for over 10 years, the situation remains stagnant and there has been no significant change.

In this situation, the seriousness of the situation is further exacerbated by the fact that coastal diesel vessels are becoming increasingly outdated and are causing serious harm through astronomical pollution revenues that are difficult to calculate.

Compared to other countries, the difficulty is even greater because the country is surrounded by sea on three sides, and the size of the fishing industry and the small coastal vessels are even smaller.

In order to replace small coastal diesel vessels with eco-friendly vessels, it is essential to develop reliable source technologies, establish a mass production system, and provide generous subsidies and support measures.

In particular, charging facilities at docking ports, along with small-scale sectors compared to other sectors, require solid source technology and infrastructure systems.

Therefore, rather than electric vehicles that have less technology from the beginning, it is better to use both engines and batteries.The spread of hybrid ships can also be considered a good transitional alternative.

At the same time, it is a way to naturally increase the proportion of eco-friendly ships by popularizing electric ships.

In Korea, the progress in making marine vessels more eco-friendly compared to land-based eco-friendly transportation is very slow, and securing core technologies is also difficult.

Not only was there very little research and development funding, but there was also a lack of specialized personnel in the field and very little interest from the front line.

Now, we need to increase related budgets, including subsidies, and establish clear support measures for securing domestic source technologies and distributing mass-produced models.

Considering the aging of marine vessels and their exposure to exhaust gases compared to land-based transportation, we are confident that this will have a more definite effect than expected and will significantly contribute to carbon reduction.

Among the few domestic companies, small and medium-sized enterprises with solid original technology and know-how are emerging.

It is a specialized mid-sized company with solid domestic original technology, including the distribution and operation of electric vessels already operating in the Songdo Canal area of Incheon, as well as the supply of original powertrains for the eco-friendly operation of the Seoul Han River buses that will soon be in operation.

The current technological level is also that of a company armed with domestically produced technology for all hardware and software, including eco-friendly batteries, fusion engine technology, electrification, electrification, and algorithm development.

It is believed that it would be difficult to find a global company with this level of original technology.

Through the active support of these domestic specialized companies, we hope to expand opportunities for us to lead the way in environmentally friendly offshore vessels.

This means that in the future, new eco-friendly transportation methods in the marine sector will be developed, creating new food sources and jobs.

We expect the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the competent authority, to expand its role, provide support, and actively discover companies.
Through this, we anticipate the emergence of global powerhouses in related industries. Considering Korea's unique position as a country surrounded by sea on three sides, we aim to target the eco-friendly marine vessel market.

Now is the time to take another look at the eco-friendliness of the marine sector.