HD Hyundai Partners With ABS To Develop World’s First Nuclear-Powered 16,000 TEU Container Ship

HD Hyundai has signed a joint development agreement with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) to design a nuclear-linked electric propulsion system for a large container ship.

The project focuses on a 16,000 TEU container vessel powered by a Small Modular Reactor (SMR).

The technology is expected to provide stable electricity while allowing ships to operate without carbon emissions during long-distance voyages.

HD Hyundai announced that it had signed a Joint Development Agreement for the Conceptual Design of Nuclear-Linked Electric Propulsion Systems with ABS, one of the world’s leading classification societies.

The signing ceremony took place at the HD Hyundai Global R&D Center in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.

Those attending the event included Kwon Byung-hoon, head of the Electrification Center at HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Shim Hak-moo, head of the Design Division at HD Hyundai Samho, and Matthew Muller, ABS Commercial Director for Far East Asia.

Under the agreement, the companies will work together on the concept design of the 16,000 TEU container ship.

The collaboration will focus on the basic design of nuclear-linked electric propulsion systems, selecting electrical equipment specifications, and planning the layout of power equipment.

The aim of the project is to evaluate whether Small Modular Reactors can serve as a reliable power source for commercial ships.

The SMR planned for the project can produce up to 100 megawatts of power, which will be used to run an electric propulsion system.

SMRs are smaller than traditional nuclear reactors and are designed to improve safety and economic efficiency. Because of their compact size, they are increasingly being studied as a potential energy solution for the maritime industry.

In the proposed design, the reactor will generate electricity to power propulsion motors instead of conventional fuel engines.

If the concept is successfully developed, the ship could operate without producing carbon emissions, supporting the shipping industry’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Another advantage of nuclear-powered ships is the removal of large fuel tanks, exhaust systems, and conventional engines, which usually take up significant space inside vessels.

Without this equipment, ships could carry more containers within the same hull size.

The concept vessel being studied by HD Hyundai will have a capacity of 16,000 TEU, equivalent to about 13,000 standard twenty-foot containers.

The design will also include a twin-screw propeller system, which improves thrust and maneuverability.

Engineers are also considering a direct-drive propulsion system, where the motor connects directly to the propeller. This design reduces energy loss during power transmission and improves efficiency.

The proposed vessel could also carry more reefer containers, which transport refrigerated and frozen goods.

Reefer containers require large amounts of electricity to maintain temperature during long voyages. A nuclear-powered electric propulsion system could provide stable power for both propulsion and refrigerated cargo.

HD Hyundai also plans to develop a customized power management system designed for long-distance voyages and high-speed container shipping.

Safety remains one of the most important issues in nuclear-powered shipping.

Most existing nuclear safety regulations are designed for land-based reactors, and there are currently no global standards specifically covering nuclear reactors on ships operating across different countries.

To address this challenge, HD Hyundai and ABS plan to combine maritime safety rules with nuclear safety standards.

The vessel design will include safety systems that can withstand collisions or flooding.

The onboard power systems will also follow International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety standards.

ABS, which has more than 160 years of experience in ship classification, will help develop technical standards and safety verification processes for nuclear-powered vessels.

HD Hyundai has been exploring nuclear ship propulsion for several years.

In 2022, the company invested $30 million in TerraPower, a U.S.-based SMR developer founded by Bill Gates.

In February last year, the company unveiled a model of a nuclear-powered container ship at the Houston Maritime Nuclear Summit in the United States.

Later in September, HD Hyundai received Approval in Principle (AIP) from ABS for the conceptual design of the nuclear-powered container ship.

The AIP confirmed that the concept design was technically feasible and suitable for further development.

References: chosun, businesskorea