Corvus Energy, the leading provider of marine battery and fuel cell systems, announced that their Corvus Orca Energy Storage System has received Type Approval from the Japanese class society, ClassNK.

First ESS with ClassNK type approval

“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. “says Mr. Masaki Matsunaga, Executive Vice President / Director of Plan Approval and Technical Solution Division, ClassNK, and continues “ClassNK will continue ensuring these technologies meet standards, supporting the maritime industry’s uptake of cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.”

This is the first-ever marine battery to get this type approval since the ClassNK rules for marine energy storage systems came into effect in January 2023.

With both energy and high power, the Orca ESS system is suitable for a variety of marine applications and vessel types.  No other marine energy storage system can compete with the installation count. To date more than 600 vessels and port applications have an Orca system installed worldwide This product has set a new industry standard in marine with the highest safety, reliability and performance of any system in the market.

Important milestone to meet demand in Asia.

“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. , states  Kolbjørn Berge, SVP Global Regulatory

Corvus Energy has for long had a clear strategy to expand in the Japanese market and have established long-term collaboration and partnerships with large Japanese corporations.

In 2021 Corvus Energy announced the founding of Sumisho Corvus Energy Co., Ltd.  – 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 harbor tugboat “Taiga” – the 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 also announced their partnership with Toyota Motor to develop marine fuel cells based on Toyota fuel cell technology.

and in November 2023, Toyotas invested in Corvus through their investment company Woven.

“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.” Says Birger Myklebust, General Manager Sumisho Corvus Energy

In addition to ClassNK, Corvus Orca Energy Storage System already holds certification from DNV, ABS, Rina, BV and KR