HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is collaborating with key players in South Korea's shipbuilding and nuclear industries to advance the technology demonstration and commercialization of marine small modular reactors (SMRs).
On October 6, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and 11 other institutions signed a memorandum of understanding at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) to establish the 'SMR Marine Technology Demonstration Center.'
This agreement aims to facilitate the necessary technology development, verification, and demonstration for the practical application of marine SMRs. The participating institutions include HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Korea Electric Power Technology, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Korea Register of Shipping, Hyundai Heavy Industries Turbo Machinery, Clad Korea, Ulsan Technopark, UNIST, Seoul National University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and Hanyang University.
The 'SMR Marine Technology Demonstration Center' will coordinate the technical expertise, human resources, and research facilities of the participating institutions to jointly promote the development, testing, verification, and demonstration of marine SMR technology. It will also serve as a hub for establishing a foundation for future industrialization.
The participating institutions plan to share their testing facilities and research infrastructure to reduce redundant investments and enhance the efficiency of technology verification. They aim to collaboratively develop key technologies necessary for the application of marine SMRs by linking industry technology demands with university research capabilities, while also identifying and planning large-scale national projects and government research and development initiatives.
The initiative envisions a cooperative framework that connects the design and construction capabilities of the domestic shipbuilding industry with nuclear technology expertise and university research capabilities, facilitating the entire process from marine SMR technology development to demonstration and eventual commercialization.
Officials from participating institutions, including Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Korea Electric Power Technology, expressed optimism that the demonstration center will strengthen collaboration among industry, academia, and research institutions, accelerating the commercialization of marine SMRs in South Korea.
Won Kwang-sik, Vice President of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' Marine Energy Division, stated, "The SMR Marine Technology Demonstration Center will become a collaborative hub that effectively links the technology and research infrastructure of South Korea's shipbuilding and nuclear sectors. We will work with participating institutions to gradually establish a foundation for the demonstration and industrialization of marine nuclear technology."
Meanwhile, HD Hyundai has been actively developing technologies related to marine SMRs. Earlier, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering received basic certification (AIP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the design of a 15,000 TEU nuclear-powered container ship utilizing SMR technology. Last year, the company unveiled a design model that incorporated actual equipment and radiation shielding concepts. It is also collaborating with the American company TerraPower to advance the manufacturing of reactor components and establish a supply chain in the SMR sector.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.