Korea Maritime and Ocean University launches maritime SMR task force

Korea Maritime and Ocean University announced Monday that it has launched a maritime small modular reactor (SMR) task force and begun work on a large-scale project covering regulation, certification, demonstration and talent development in the maritime SMR sector.

SMRs are reactors typically built in modular form at 300 megawatts or below and assembled on-site. They require shorter construction timelines and lower investment than large-scale nuclear power plants, which range from 1,000 to 1,700 MW per unit. Maritime SMRs are regarded as a next-generation zero-carbon power source capable of long-distance voyages and high-capacity power supply, and are emerging as a key global convergence technology that draws on the nuclear industry's safety expertise, the shipbuilding sector's design and construction capabilities, and the maritime industry's operational experience.

The maritime SMR task force, established directly under the university president, is headed by professor Kim Jong-do and comprises four centers: an external cooperation center, a regulation and certification center, a technology demonstration center, and a talent development center. The university also has a long-term goal of hosting a UN-affiliated international maritime SMR certification body on its campus.

The external cooperation center will build cooperative networks with international organizations, government agencies, classification societies and industry. The regulation and certification center will lead the development of international standards through research on global regulatory frameworks and approval criteria. The technology demonstration center will pursue the acquisition of demonstration data and safety verification, while the talent development center will train specialists to lead the future maritime nuclear industry and will establish the world's first academic program dedicated to maritime SMRs.

More than 90 percent of vessels currently in operation worldwide are diesel-powered, and recent carbon neutrality policies have prompted most newly built ships to switch to LNG propulsion. Ships built from the 2030s onward, however, are expected to be predominantly powered by maritime SMRs as a zero-carbon energy source.

"The maritime SMR task force is a national project that will open the future of South Korea and will serve as a pivotal first step toward becoming a global hub for maritime nuclear power," university president Ryu Dong-geun said. "We will concentrate our efforts on successfully leading the establishment of a UN-affiliated international certification body."