Korea's molten salt nuclear-powered container ship design wins US approval

A conceptual image of a small modular reactor-powered container ship / Courtesy of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) said Thursday that a conceptual design for a 15,000-TEU container ship powered by a molten salt reactor (MSR) has received Approval in Principle (AIP) from the American Bureau of Shipping, a U.S.-based ship classification society.

The design was jointly developed with the Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (KRISO) and Samsung Heavy Industries.

AIP is a process in which a classification society reviews the technical feasibility and safety of a new technology or design at the concept stage, based on relevant regulations and safety standards — a significant step for a field still in its early stages of international development, such as nuclear-powered ships.

An MSR is a type of small modular reactor that uses molten salt mixed with nuclear fuel as a liquid fuel, prized for its high safety and energy efficiency as a next-generation ship engine.

The container ship design uses two MSR units, with optimized power systems and hull layout meant to improve both safety and operational efficiency.

Key features include a dual-reactor setup for load-sharing, an energy storage system for managing surplus power, a high-speed hull design capable of 25 knots, a centrally located reactor to minimize wave and collision risks, and a hull sized to pass through the expanded Panama Canal.

KAERI developed the marine MSR technology, called MARINA, while KRISO and Samsung Heavy Industries handled the hull design, reactor and system layout and power control technology.

The institutions plan to further refine the reactor-ship interface and pursue safety verification and testing.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.