Korean shipbuilding and nuclear sectors launch marine SMR demo hub

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and South Korea's shipbuilding, nuclear industries, and academia have teamed up to develop, verify, and demonstrate marine small modular reactor (SMR) technology. The "SMR marine technology demonstration center" was launched on the 7th at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) through a business agreement signed by 12 institutions, including major corporations and universities in Korea's shipbuilding and nuclear sectors.

The agreement aims to create a hub where participating institutions can share their technologies, experts, and research facilities to promote marine SMR development, testing, and demonstration. By pooling their existing test facilities and research infrastructure, the institutions plan to reduce duplicate investment and improve technology verification efficiency.

Additionally, they aim to connect industry's technology needs with universities' research capabilities to develop key technologies for marine SMR applications and identify large-scale national projects and government R&D initiatives. Through this collaboration, the participating institutions plan to build a cooperative foundation linking various aspects of marine SMR technology development, demonstration, and future commercialization, combining the design and construction capabilities of Korea's shipbuilding industry, the technological prowess of the nuclear sector, and universities' research capabilities.