New Delhi [India], December 16 : Samsung Heavy Industries has taken a major step in offshore nuclear technology by developing a floating platform that can host small modular reactors, marking a shift in how nuclear power can be produced at sea, as per a report by Pulse, the English service of Maeil Business News Korea. The company said it secured approval in principle from the American Bureau of Shipping for the basic design of its Floating SMR platform.
"The South Korean shipbuilder said it received approval in principle from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the conceptual design of its Floating SMR (FSMR) platform equipped with two SMART 100 reactors," the report said.
The design uses two SMART 100 reactors, which were created by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and received standard design approval from South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission in September last year.
Samsung Heavy Industries explained that its role in the project includes combining the reactors with the floating structure and planning how the nuclear power system will work as a whole. It is also developing a multi-barrier containment system meant to keep the reactors protected. KAERI is responsible for adjusting its land-based SMART 100 reactor so that it can operate in a marine setting.
As per the report, Ahn Young-kyu, vice president and head of technology development at Samsung Heavy Industries, said the certification marks an important milestone in pioneering the offshore nuclear power generation market. He said the company aims to secure safe and cost-efficient offshore nuclear technologies by using its experience in floating platforms.
The development shows how shipbuilders and nuclear engineers are working together to create new ways of generating power. With global interest growing in cleaner and steady energy sources, floating SMR platforms may offer a different option for countries with limited land or remote coastal needs.
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