American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) issued approval in principle (AIP) for the integration of a nuclear reactor into a cargo vessel propulsion system developed by Capital Maritime Group, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., Ltd. (HD KSOE).
This design uses a special synthetic fluid to carry heat from the reactor core. Todayโs designs typically focus on micro-scale thermal outputs of 10 to 20 megawatts. The MIT designโs near-atmospheric operating pressure can allow for thinner, lighter reactor vessels, supporting modular construction and easier transport.
This is the first AIP to be granted through the MIT Maritime Consortium, where Capital Maritime Group, ABS and HD KSOE are founding members. ABS reviewed the reactor-to-machinery interface based on class requirements.
The consortium brings together academia and industry to advance technologies with the potential to reshape the maritime sector, including alternative fuels, new nuclear technologies, data-driven operational strategies, autonomy, cybersecurity and onboard manufacturing.
โIt is our responsibility as an industry to explore every potential solution, including those that challenge conventional thinking. Nuclear propulsion is one such frontier. Through our membership in the MIT Maritime Consortium alongside ABS and HD KSOE, we are committed to ensuring that any pathway to net zero is grounded in the non-negotiable highest standards of crew safety, vessel integrity, and environmental protection. This AIP is the first step in that process,โ said Stergios Stergiou, Chief Sustainability Officer, Capital Clean Energy Carriers Corp.
โThe MIT Maritime Consortium is a unique collaboration between academia and key industry stakeholders aiming to address critical gaps in the modernization of the commercial fleet through the development of bold technological solutions, industry standards, and policies. Our reactor design is one of the first concrete outcomes of this synergy, providing a realistic pathway towards nuclear propulsion for commercial vessels,โ said Themistoklis Sapsis, Koch Professor of Marine Technology at MIT and Co-director of the Maritime Consortium.
The AIP is part of the ABS New Technology Qualification (NTQ) service that provides a structured approach to support the early adoption and implementation of innovative solutions.
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