HD Hyundai, ABS to Develop Nuclear-Linked Electric Propulsion for Zero-Carbon Ships

HD Hyundai said Monday it has signed a joint development agreement with the American Bureau of Shipping, or ABS, to begin concept design of a nuclear-linked electric propulsion system, as it moves to secure next-generation zero-carbon ship technology.

The signing ceremony was held at HD Hyundai Global R&D Center in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, with Kwon Byeong-hun, head of the Electrification Center at HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering; Sim Hak-mu, head of the design division at HD Hyundai Samho; and ABS Far East Asia sales representative Matthew Muller in attendance.

Under the agreement, the two sides will jointly work on a 16,000-TEU container ship, cooperating on basic design of the nuclear-linked electric propulsion system, selection of electrical equipment specifications, and layout design for power equipment. They plan to apply the characteristics of a small modular reactor, or SMR, capable of stably supplying up to 100 megawatts, and to assess the feasibility of using an SMR as a new ship power source.

HD Hyundai said it will build a power management system tailored to large container ships that require long voyages and high-speed operation. It also plans to apply a twin-screw propeller system to improve propulsion and maneuverability.

The company said it will adopt a direct-drive propulsion method that connects the motor directly to the propeller to minimize energy losses in power transmission and improve operating efficiency. It also said it will step up efforts to ensure safety related to nuclear power generation.

Muller said the collaboration is “a very important project” to verify whether nuclear-based electric propulsion can be applied to large container ships, adding that the partners will combine HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding capabilities with ABS engineering expertise in maritime safety to comprehensively validate the safety, efficiency and environmental performance of next-generation propulsion solutions.

Sim said nuclear-linked electric propulsion ships are “a groundbreaking and advanced technology” for achieving net zero, and could become a strong tool for HD Hyundai amid intense competition to lead the eco-friendly ship market.



* This article has been translated by AI.

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