Provider of marine battery and fuel cell systems Corvus Energy’s Orca Energy Storage System has received Type Approval from the Japanese class society, ClassNK.
This is the first marine battery to get this type approval since the ClassNK rules for marine energy storage systems came into effect in January 2023.
Masaki Matsunaga, EVP and Director of Plan Approval and Technical Solution Division, ClassNK said: “The pace of social change is accelerating, necessitating an increased effort to move forward with frontrunners to tackle these challenges. Issuing a type approval for Orca Energy, which has significant accomplishments in this area, is expected to serve as a major milestone for increasing vessels equipped with lithium-ion storage systems. ClassNK will continue ensuring these technologies meet standards, supporting the maritime industry’s uptake of cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.”
With both energy and high power, the Orca ESS system is suitable for a variety of marine applications and vessel types. To date more than 600 vessels and port applications have an Orca system installed. The product is believed to have set a new industry standard with the highest safety, reliability and performance of any system in the market.
Kolbjørn Berge, Corvus SVP Global Regulatory said: “ClassNK is one of the largest classification societies and certainly the largest in Asia. Getting this approval is an important milestone and is yet another proof of the quality and safety of the system. As ClassNK registers approx. 20% of the world merchant fleet in terms of gross tonnage, it´s important for Corvus Energy to ensure easy implementation of our products on board vessels classed by ClassNK.”
Corvus Energy has for long had a clear strategy to expand in the Japanese market and has established long-term collaboration and partnerships with large Japanese corporations.
In 2021 Corvus Energy announced the founding of Sumisho Corvus Energy Co, a 50/50 JV with Sumitomo Corporation in order to be ready for the growing electrification of vessels in Japan and southeast Asia. The first orders for batteries are already installed. Corvus batteries are running onboard the harbour tugboat Taiga an Eco-friendly tug operating in the ports of Yokohama and the world’s first zero-emission tanker vessels Asahi and Akari operating in Tokyo Bay. The same year Corvus Energy announced a partnership with Toyota Motor to develop marine fuel cells based on Toyota fuel cell technology, and in November 2023 Toyota invested in Corvus through the investment company Woven.
Birger Myklebust, GM Sumisho Corvus Energy said: “To have the Japanese type approval in place is an important milestone for Corvus. Thanks to open communication and close cooperation with ClassNK, this is now in place and we can offer ClassNK certified products to our customers.”
In addition to ClassNK, Corvus Orca Energy Storage System already holds certification from DNV, ABS, Rina, BV and KR.
Image: Corvus Orca ESS (source: Corvus)
