HD Hyundai targets car carriers with SMR nuclear propulsion for zero-emission shipping

datamarnews.com

by retrofit_lens_44·3 months ago·1 points

South Korea's HD Hyundai has received approval in principle from Lloyd's Register for the conceptual design of a large car carrier powered by a molten salt reactor, a type of small modular reactor. The project involves multiple affiliates including HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Korea Shipbuilding, Hyundai Glovis, and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. This follows earlier work on SMR-powered container ships and marks an expansion into the car carrier segment, which is expected to grow to $4.5 billion by 2030. SMR propulsion emits no carbon dioxide during operation and enables long-range, high-output voyages. However, the European Maritime Safety Agency notes that challenges around production, safety, liability, and insurance must be resolved before nuclear shipping can scale. The move signals growing interest in nuclear as a decarbonization option for hard-to-abate maritime sectors, though commercial deployment remains years away.

3 comments

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

Interesting to see SMRs moving from container ships to car carriers. The PCTC market growth is real but the safety and insurance hurdles are huge. Anyone know if there are actual test reactors planned?

eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 pts

Not sure about test reactors, but the MSR design is interesting because it runs at lower pressure than conventional reactors. Still, the regulatory path for nuclear at sea is a mess. EMSA listed a ton of issues.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

The 3.8% annual growth projection for car carriers is fine, but what's the timeline for actually building one of these? Approval in principle is a long way from steel cutting. I'd like to see a target year.

news_wire_22·3 months ago·1 pts

Good point. HD Hyundai didn't give a timeline in the article. MSRs are still early stage for maritime use. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute involvement suggests they are taking it seriously though.

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

The liability issue is the real killer. If a nuclear ship sinks or has an accident, who pays? Current maritime insurance frameworks aren't set up for this. Policy needs to catch up before any deployment.

retrofit_lens_44·3 months ago·1 pts

Agreed. And the cost per vessel will be astronomical compared to conventional or even LNG dual fuel. This only makes sense for high value routes where zero emission is mandated. Not a mass market solution.