HD Hyundai has officially signed a joint development agreement with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) to design a nuclear-linked electric propulsion system for commercial ocean freight. The project is focused on developing a 16,000 TEU container ship powered entirely by a Small Modular Reactor (SMR).
Signed at the HD Hyundai Global R&D Center in South Korea, the agreement tasks both companies with creating the concept design for the vessel. The collaboration will finalize the basic design of the electric propulsion systems, select electrical equipment specifications, and map out the power equipment layout.
The project aims to prove that SMRs can serve as a reliable, zero-emission power source for commercial shipping. The specific SMR planned for this vessel will produce up to 100 megawatts of power to run a direct-drive electric propulsion system.
For EXIM shippers and carriers, nuclear propulsion offers major operational advantages beyond decarbonization:
- Increased Cargo Space: Removing massive traditional fuel tanks, exhaust systems, and conventional engines frees up significant space within the hull, allowing the ship to carry more containers.
- Stable Reefer Power: The 100 MW SMR provides massive, stable electricity output, allowing the 16,000 TEU vessel to carry a much higher volume of power-intensive refrigerated (reefer) containers on long-distance voyages.
- Enhanced Efficiency: The design features a twin-screw, direct-drive propulsion system where the motor connects directly to the propeller, minimizing energy loss and improving maneuverability.
The vessel’s design will feature heavy duty safety systems built to withstand collisions and flooding, and all onboard power systems will strictly adhere to International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety standards.
This project is the culmination of years of R&D for HD Hyundai, which previously invested $30 million in TerraPower (a US-based SMR developer) in 2022 and received an Approval in Principle (AIP) from ABS for the conceptual design of a nuclear-powered container ship last September.