The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) announced on the 9th that the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier utilizing the 'small modular molten salt reactor (MSR)' developed in collaboration with Samsung Heavy Industries has received basic approval (AiP) as the world's first.
This is the first time that a carrier using a reactor as its power source has received approval. Basic approval is the process in which a classification organization reviews and approves whether a new vessel design and technology meet international regulations and safety standards, marking the first gateway in vessel development. This approval will be officially announced at 'Gastech 2025,' the world's largest gas and energy exhibition, held in Milan, Italy, on the 10th.
The MSR is a next-generation reactor that uses a mixture of nuclear fuel and molten salt as coolant. It boasts higher safety and energy efficiency compared to existing reactors, garnering attention for use in ship engines. The LNG carrier MSR developed this time has a thermal capacity of 100 megawatts (MWth) and is designed to operate without a fuel change until the end of the ship's lifespan once installed.
KAERI and Samsung Heavy Industries have been participating in the research and development of MSR core and innovative technology since 2023 with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, planning to complete the conceptual design for marine MSRs by next year. Choi Jin-young, head of the Advanced Reactor Research Institute at KAERI, noted, "We will strive to ensure that the MSR we are developing contributes to achieving carbon neutrality in the marine sector."