The US classification society, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), has granted an ‘Approval in Principle’ for a 15,000 TEU nuclear-powered ship design from South Korea.
The concept was developed in collaboration with the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISO) and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). It envisages a small modular reactor (SMR) and, according to those involved, “represents an important milestone in an ongoing joint development project investigating the technical feasibility of nuclear-powered shipping in the commercial sector”, a statement said.
It incorporates a molten salt reactor (MSR) designed for maritime use. “Nuclear power has the potential to fundamentally transform commercial shipping in terms of ship design, range and energy efficiency. ABS is focusing on establishing the necessary technical and safety framework for this; the AIP achieved with Kriso and Kaeri is a concrete part of this work,” explained Patrick Ryan, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at ABS.
As part of the joint development, Kriso produced the design for the nuclear-powered 15,000 TEU container ship, Kaeri developed the concept for the MSR, and ABS carried out the AIP review of the overall concept. The collaboration builds on ABS’s wider activities with Korean partners, to advance nuclear applications for ships and offshore installations – including a memorandum of understanding signed with Kriso in 2025 regarding cooperation on nuclear-powered ships and floating nuclear power plant platforms.
Kriso President Keyyong Hong said: “Ships powered by SMRs represent a next-generation technology that will determine the future competitiveness of the shipping industry; to make this a reality, it is crucial above all to have design technologies suitable for the maritime environment.” Kriso aims to further improve the maritime operational capability of nuclear-powered ships through research and development in the field of marine technology, as well as through international cooperation, and to work towards Korea taking a leading role in the relevant technologies and international standards.
Jinyoung Cho, Senior Vice President of Kaeri, announced plans to further optimise the interface between the SMR system and the vessel, adapt the design to the specific operating conditions of ships, and drive forward testing and demonstrations of key technologies to support the commercialisation of SMR-powered vessels.
