Partners Launch Joint Project to Develop Nuclear-Propelled Ship Designs

UK-based shipping company Zodiac Maritime has partnered with Lloyd’s Register, South Korean shipbuilder HD KSOE, and power plant design company KEPCO E&C to research and develop nuclear-propelled ship designs. The companies signed a memorandum of Understanding at Korea’s HD Hyundai Global R&D Center to study nuclear propulsion for bulk carriers and containerships. This move comes as the shipping industry looks at nuclear as a future marine fuel in the context of energy transition and decarbonization targets.

Under the joint development project, HD KSOE and KEPCO E&C will provide designs for future vessels and their reactors, while LR will assess rule requirements for safe operation and regulatory compliance models. The project aims to address the challenges involved with nuclear propulsion and enable Zodiac to evaluate ship specifications and voyage considerations around nuclear technology. Additionally, HD KSOE and KEPCO E&C are collaborating on the design of a nuclear propulsion ship and have received approval in principle from the classification society ABS for a new design of a floating offshore nuclear power barge.

Lloyd’s Register believes there is a huge opportunity for nuclear technology to support the maritime energy transition, and Zodiac Maritime is excited to partner on this project to help facilitate the research and development needed to accelerate nuclear power technology in shipping. HD KSOE has also invested in the fourth-generation SMR company, TerraPower, and plans to accelerate the development of future nuclear-powered ships by establishing an SMR research team.

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