HD KSOE unveils ABS-approved nuclear-powered containership model

South Korean shipbuilding major HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) has rolled out a nuclear-powered containership model utilizing small modular reactor (SMR) technology to accelerate the development of nuclear-powered vessels.

HD KSOE revealed its nuclear-powered ship design model for the first time on February 12, 2025, in Houston, USA.

The newly introduced model builds on the 15,000 TEU containership design applying SMR technology which had previously received approval in principle from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

According to the shipbuilder, the new design model features enhanced economic efficiency and safety by incorporating actual equipment and safety design concepts.

HD KSOE said it had optimized the space previously occupied by large engine room equipment to accommodate additional containers, enhancing economic efficiency. The company also applied a marine radiation shielding system using a double-tank method with stainless steel and light water to ensure safety.

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

The South Korean shipbuilder also said it plans to establish a marine nuclear demonstration facility at its Future Technology Test Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, to verify safety designs.

Park Sangmin, Head of HD KSOE’s Green Energy Research Lab, said: “HD KSOE is strengthening cooperation not only with major classification societies but also with international regulatory bodies to establish international regulations necessary for the commercialization of nuclear-powered vessels. Starting with the land-based SMR reactor manufacturing project, we aim to develop a marine nuclear business model by 2030.”

Patrick Ryan, Chief Technology Officer of ABS, commented: “Nuclear-powered vessels can be a game-changer in the current shipbuilding market, where carbon neutrality is emerging. ABS and HD KSOE will contribute to accelerating the commercialization of marine nuclear technology in the global shipbuilding market.”

Since February 2024, HD KSOE has been conducting joint research with nuclear power company TerraPower on next-generation SMRs. In December of the same year, the company secured an order to manufacture the main equipment for TerraPower’s Natrium reactor, which is being constructed in Wyoming, USA.

ABS Chairman and CEO, Christopher J. Wiernicki, sees new nuclear technology as a global decarbonization solution and a commercial shipping disruptor, and an essential component for reaching net zero by 2050.

Speaking at the Core Power New Nuclear for Maritime Houston Summit, Wiernicki said: “New nuclear is a transformational technology. It disrupts the commercial model, the economics of shipping, as well as the operation of vessels and of course their design.

“Not only does it offer zero carbon operations but higher power with faster transit speeds, increased cargo storage due to the elimination of fuel storage and it unlocks the potential for reverse cold ironing where the vessel powers the port. Finally, critically, it eliminates the need to bunker fuel potentially over the entire lifespan of the asset.”

He further argued that new nuclear can be highly competitive, explaining that accounting for fuel differentials, the cost of compliance, and residual value, the new nuclear “costs roughly the same as fossil options, only with zero carbon operations”.

However, Wiernicki highlighted that significant challenges remain beyond technological development.

“While the potential is undoubtedly significant, we will need a new public/private partnership and a new commercial model. It will require insurance to move from its legacy model, and we will need to close the regulatory gaps, develop global licensing standards and invest in crew training.

“The ultimate boundary condition for this technology will be safety, and we need to ensure we engage and educate the public about the advanced safety performance of these new reactors.”

ABS published the “industry’s first” comprehensive rules for floating nuclear power in October last year.