Classification society DNV has granted HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) an Approval in Principle (AiP) for a 15,000 TEU container vessel design powered by Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology, the company said in a statement.
The AiP handover took place at DNV’s Busan offices and was attended by Sungkon Han, Executive Vice President of the Green Energy Research Lab at HD KSOE, Geir Dugstad, Technical Director at DNV, and Ole Christen Reistad, Senior Principal Researcher and nuclear research lead at DNV.
The vessel concept demonstrates the use of SMR technology for a 15,000 TEU container ship capable of operating at 24 knots. It incorporates a supercritical CO₂-based power generation system designed to provide higher thermal efficiency and a smaller equipment footprint compared to conventional steam systems.
DNV reviewed the conceptual design according to SOLAS Chapter VIII and the IMO Code of Safety for Nuclear Merchant Ships.
During development, DNV and HD KSOE jointly evaluated the vessel’s safety and power system design. In May 2025, the companies conducted a HAZID (Hazard Identification) workshop at DNV’s headquarters in Oslo to identify potential risks and improve the concept.
DNV also recently released a white paper on the potential of nuclear-powered vessels for commercial shipping, covering reactor technologies, vessel operation, fuel management, and oversight of nuclear supply chains.
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) is a South Korean shipbuilding holding company and a subsidiary of HD Hyundai Group. It serves as the group’s intermediate holding entity overseeing shipbuilding, offshore engineering, and marine energy technology development through subsidiaries including Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. The company focuses on advanced vessel design, propulsion systems, and decarbonization technologies for the maritime sector.
DNV is an international classification society and assurance provider headquartered in Høvik, Norway. It delivers risk management, certification, and technical verification services for industries including maritime, energy, and healthcare. As a classification society, DNV establishes and maintains standards for ship design, construction, and operation and provides technical assessments such as Approvals in Principle for emerging vessel technologies.
