HD Hyundai and ABS to develop nuclear electric propulsion for container ships
In South Korea, HD Hyundai has signed a joint development agreement with the American Bureau of Shipping to design a nuclear electric propulsion system for 16,000 TEU container ships, using a small modular reactor capable of supplying up to 100 megawatts of power.
The SMR will drive an electric propulsion system with twin screw propellers and direct drive motors, minimizing energy loss in transmission while improving maneuverability on long, high speed voyages. The design will also expand capacity for refrigerated containers, which draw significantly more power than standard cargo.
Safety compliance with both International Maritime Organization regulations and International Atomic Energy Agency standards is built into the concept, covering collision and flooding scenarios. ABS awarded HD Hyundai an approval in principle for the concept design at Gastech 2026 in September, following the company’s first public unveiling of a nuclear propulsion container ship model in Houston in February of last year.
Category: Sustainable Marine Fuels
