HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) has secured an Approval in Principle (AiP) from classification society DNV for a 15,000 TEU container vessel design featuring Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology. The vessel will be capable of operating at 24 knots. The concept incorporates a supercritical CO₂-based power generation system, which can provide higher thermal efficiency and requires less space compared to conventional steam-based systems, according to DNV. HD KSOE has also developed a new shielding and containment system designed to maintain the reactor’s safety and ensure the vessel’s survivability in the event of a collision, grounding or sinking […]

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has published a guidance document, ‘Navigating Nuclear Energy in Maritime’, which it describes as ‘the first roadmap for the safe and responsible use of nuclear technology in commercial shipping and offshore industries.’ According to LR, the guidance promotes nuclear power as ‘a reliable maritime energy source’ and the document considers the regulatory, safety and economic challenges associated with its use in the maritime sector. The guidance has been developed in partnership with Global Nuclear Security Partners (GNSP) and marine insurer NorthStandard. It sets out the practical steps project teams must take in outlining the regulatory, technical, operational […]

In its newly-published annual review, International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited (ITOPF) has reported that it has been exploring how future trends in shipping – including alternative fuels and nuclear technology – might impact maritime pollution and spill response. The ITOPF noted that it has drafted a series of reports on seven alternative fuels/energy sources (biofuels, LNG, LPG, methanol, ammonia, hydrogen and lithium-ion batteries) for the International Group of P&I Clubs Alternative Fuels Working Group. ‘These documents detail the hazards, fate and behaviour of each substance, as well as the potential impacts and costs in the event of a spill,’ said the […]