HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) has received approval in principle from the class society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for a nuclear-electric propelled containership design.
The 15,000 teu vessel uses a propulsion system comprised of a molten salt reactor (MSR) for heat and a supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO2) system for power generation.
ABS completed design reviews based on class requirements, and said that HD KSOE will continue to work with the class society to further develop the vessel.
Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS chairman and CEO, said: “Advanced modern reactors are both a global decarbonization solution and a commercial shipping disruptor.
“They are a key transformational technology that forms a critical part of the calculus to get to net zero by 2050 and they change the commercial model, the economics of shipping, the operation of the vessels and their design, as KSOE have demonstrated. The new nuclear story is now being written and this collaboration with KSOE is an important step forward.”
From his side, senior vice president Sangmin Park of HD KSOE, noted: “Fourth-generation SMRs, currently in the demonstration phase, offer a groundbreaking improvement in safety compared to conventional reactors. When applied to large container ships, they could potentially have less risk than some of the other alternative fuel systems.”
ABS said it is exploring advanced nuclear reactor technologies for offshore and maritime applications, and it is working with the U.S. Department of Energy to research barriers to the adoption of advanced nuclear propulsion on commercial vessels.
