HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) has released the model for a nuclear-powered containership incorporating Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology.
The company revealed its 15,000 TEU-class vessel design at the New Nuclear for Maritime Summit in Houston, following Approval in Principle (AIP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).
According to HD KSOE, the design aims to enhance economic efficiency and safety. Unlike conventional ships, nuclear-powered vessels do not require engine exhaust systems or fuel tanks.
The company has reallocated space traditionally occupied by the engine room to accommodate additional containers. A marine radiation shielding system, using a double-tank structure with stainless steel and light water, has been applied to meet safety requirements.
The vessel also features a supercritical carbon dioxide-based propulsion system, developed in collaboration with Baker Hughes, which HD KSOE states improves thermal efficiency by approximately 5 per cent compared to existing steam-based systems.
To advance the development of nuclear-powered shipping, HD KSOE plans to establish a marine nuclear demonstration facility at its Future Technology Test Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.
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“Nuclear-powered vessels can be a game-changer in the current shipbuilding market, where carbon neutrality is emerging,” said Patrick Ryan, Chief Technology Officer of ABS.
“ABS and HD KSOE will contribute to accelerating the commercialisation of marine nuclear technology in the global shipbuilding market.”
At the summit, a panel discussion on ‘Maritime Civil Nuclear Propulsion for Large Ships’ included speakers such as Park Sangmin, Head of HD KSOE’s Green Energy Research Lab; Christopher J. Wiernicki, Chairman, President, and CEO of ABS; and John Michael Richardson, former U.S. Chief of Naval Operations.
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“HD KSOE is strengthening cooperation not only with major classification societies but also with international regulatory bodies to establish international regulations necessary for the commercialisation of nuclear-powered vessels,” said Park Sangmin.
“Starting with the land-based SMR reactor manufacturing project, we aim to develop a marine nuclear business model by 2030.”
Since early 2024, HD KSOE has collaborated with TerraPower on next-generation SMR research.
In December of last year, the company secured an order to manufacture main components for TerraPower’s Natrium reactor, which is under construction in Wyoming, US.
In the summer of 2024, Lloyd’s Register (LR) and CORE POWER launched a joint regulatory assessment study to investigate the regulatory feasibility and frameworks required for a nuclear containership.
