A rendering of a 15,000 TEU-class SMR-powered containership

South Korea's HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering has unveiled a nuclear-powered container ship model utilising small modular reactor technology.

The design was revealed on 12 February at the New Nuclear for Maritime Houston Summit, held at the Asia Society Texas Center in Houston, USA.

Previously, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) obtained Approval in Principle (AIP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for a 15,000 TEU-class container ship design model applying small modular reactor (SMR) technology.

HD KSOE - a subsidiary of HD Hyundai - says the newly unveiled design model features enhanced economic efficiency and safety by incorporating actual equipment and safety design concepts. Unlike conventional ships, nuclear-powered vessels do not require engine exhaust systems or fuel tanks. The company has optimised the space previously occupied by large engine room equipment to accommodate additional containers, enhancing economic efficiency. It has also applied a marine radiation shielding system using a double-tank method with stainless steel and light water to ensure safety.

Furthermore, HD KSOE, in collaboration with global energy technology company Baker Hughes, has applied a supercritical carbon dioxide-based propulsion system, improving thermal efficiency by about 5% compared with existing steam-based propulsion systems.

HD KSOE said it plans to establish a marine nuclear demonstration facility at its Future Technology Test Centre in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, to verify safety designs.

"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, Head of HD KSOE's Green Energy Research Lab, during a session at the summit. "Starting with the land-based SMR reactor manufacturing project, we aim to develop a marine nuclear business model by 2030."

In October 2023, a design for a floating offshore nuclear power barge from HD KSOE and Kepco Engineering & Construction (Kepco E&C) received approval in principle from ABS. Project collaborators included ABS, HD KSOE, Kepco E&C and the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry. The floating SMR barge is intended to serve as offshore power generation for remote communities and island electrification.

In January 2024, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Lloyd's Register, Zodiac Maritime, HD KSOE and Kepco E&C for the development of nuclear-propelled ship designs, including bulk carriers and container ships. Under the joint development project, HD KSOE and Kepco E&C will provide designs for future vessels and reactors while Lloyd's Register will assess rule requirements for safe operation and regulatory compliance models.

The following month, HD KSOE announced plans to develop an SMR for use in shipping in cooperation with the UK's Core Power and the USA's Southern Company and TerraPower. In November 2022, HD Hyundai invested USD30 million in TerraPower. The reactor to be jointly developed centres around TerraPower's Molten Chloride Fast Reactor (MCFR) design. An iteration of the MCFR - known as the m-MSR - intended for marine use is being developed by TerraPower.

The shipping industry consumes some 350 million tonnes of fossil fuel annually and accounts for about 3% of total worldwide carbon emissions. In July last year, the shipping industry, via the International Maritime Organization, approved new targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions, aiming to reach net-zero emissions by or around 2050.