From left, Matthew Mueller, vice president of ABS Regional Business Development; Hak-mu Shim, HD HSHI executive vice president; and Byung-hun Kwon, HD KSOE executive vice president, pose at the signing ceremony for the joint development project at the HD Hyundai Global R&D Center in Seongnam, South Korea.
The American Bureau of Shipping has joined a joint development project with the HD Hyundai divisions of Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HD HSHI) to advance the conceptual design and assess the technical feasibility of a nuclear-powered electric propulsion system for large container ships.
The project, “Conceptual Design of a Nuclear-Powered Electric Propulsion System,” will focus on developing the basic design, electrical component specifications, and arrangement plans of a nuclear propulsion system for a 16,000-TEU ship (that is, a massive vessel designed to carry 16,000 20-foot-equivalent units). It would be the first nuclear-powered commercial container vessel.
Engineering priorities: Engineers from HD Hyundai and ABS plan to examine how small modular reactors could support the energy demands of large container ships that transport heavy cargo across lengthy ocean routes at high cruising speeds. The use of SMRs for these purposes would eliminate the need for conventional fossil-fuel engines in container ships.
The evaluated designs will reportedly include a twin-screw propeller configuration, by which two propellers operate simultaneously to improve thrust and maneuverability in ports and channels. In addition, the designs will incorporate a direct-drive propulsion method, which would connect the electric motor directly to the propeller to reduce mechanical energy losses during power transmission.
Another design priority for the project engineers will be the maintenance of safe operations during extreme conditions, such as collisions and flooding. Any developed power systems must also meet global regulations and guidelines, such as those of the International Maritime Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Matthew Mueller, the vice president of ABS North Pacific Business Development, said that the project is combining “HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding expertise with ABS’s deep engineering experience in maritime safety, [allowing the partners] to evaluate technologies that can support safer, more efficient, and lower-emission operations for the next generation of propulsion solutions.”
Byung-hun Kwon, HD KSOE executive vice president and head of the company’s Electrification Center, said that the project is partly in response to “the growing demand for eco-friendly ships.” He continued, “We are continuously pursuing the development of electric propulsion systems using nuclear energy—a carbon-free energy source. We will expand our R&D efforts to strengthen our technological competitiveness in nuclear-linked electric propulsion.”
Previous ABS studies: This project builds on a series of studies on the application of nuclear energy for maritime shipping that ABS has carried out in cooperation with various companies. The ABS previously released a report on the promising potential of SMR-powered liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, and it has published requirements for marine and offshore nuclear power systems and floating nuclear power plants.
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