Korea to put 81 green ships on deck with $153 million investment

In South Korea, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on January 30 that it has finalized its 2025 Eco-Friendly Ship Deployment Plan, investing approximately $153 million to construct and convert a total of 81 environmentally friendly vessels.

Under this plan, the public sector will build 34 electric and hybrid ships and retrofit 15 existing vessels with diesel particulate filters to reduce fine dust emissions. In the private sector, the government will support the construction of 20 eco-friendly ships and provide financial aid for green retrofits on 12 vessels.

Additionally, to assist small and mid-sized coastal operators, applications for the first round of the 2025 Certified Green Ship Support Program will be open from January 31 to March 27. Eligible applicants—those ordering electric or LNG-powered vessels—can receive subsidies covering up to 30% of construction costs capped at approximately $3.45 million per vessel.

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kang Do-hyung stated, “We will make bold investments in small and mid-sized shipping companies to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime sector while proactively responding to tightening international decarbonization regulations.”

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