HD Hyundai Expands SMR Nuclear Reactor Efforts with Demonstration Center
South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai is working to accelerate its efforts to commercialize Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) through a new agreement partnering with the nuclear industry and academia. The plan is to combine the design and construction capabilities of the shipbuilding industry with the expertise of the nuclear industry and universities to serve as a catalyst for accelerating commercialization.
The new SMR Marine Technology Demonstration Center includes the participation of the Korean Register as well as the nuclear industry and Korean universities. The 12 participating organizations plan to jointly utilize their existing testing facilities and research infrastructure to reduce redundant investments and enhance the efficiency of technology verification for SMR technology. They will jointly develop core technologies required for marine SMR applications and work together to identify and plan large-scale national projects. They will also seek to participate in government R&D opportunities.
By linking the various segments of expertise and technology, HD Hyundai says it will contribute to the development, testing, verification, and demonstration of SMR technology.
It is the next step in the efforts to develop SMR technology to power a new generation of vessels. Last year, HD Hyundai’s HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) revealed its first model of a 15,000 TEU containership employing SMR technology for propulsion power. The company noted that it had already obtained Approval in Principle from ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) for its design for the SMR-powered containership. It said it had advanced the designs while highlighting the enhanced economic efficiency and safety of the design by incorporating actual equipment and safety design concepts.
HD KSOE highlights that the SMR technology does not require engine exhaust systems or fuel tanks. In its design, it optimizes the space used by a large engine room on a conventional containership to accommodate additional containers. In addition to the inherent benefit of SMR technology, HD Hyundai also applied a marine radiation shielding system using a double-tank method with stainless-steel and light water containment.
The shipbuilder HD KSOE announced last year that it planned to establish a marine nuclear demonstration facility. It said it would open the center at its Future Technology Center in Yongin, South Korea, to verify the safety of SMR designs.
that matters most
Get the latest maritime news delivered to your inbox daily.
Across the shipping industry, interest continues to build in potential applications for SMR-powered vessels. Hyundai Glovis, a leader in vehicle transport and logistics, announced last week that it is partnering with U.S.-based logistics company Liberty Global Logistics to review the operation of SMR-propelled car carriers on routes between Korea and the United States.
The Korean government is promoting the development of SMR technology. It has enacted efforts to support and accelerate the development of the technology as part of what it calls the K-Moonshot initiative. It aims to support the shipbuilding, nuclear, and marine technology industries to collaborate in the development of SMR technology.
