Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has developed a floating offshore nuclear power platform, the ‘FSMR (Floating SMR)’, capable of accommodating various types of small modular reactors (SMRs).
SHI announced on the 15th that it has obtained Approval in Principle (AIP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the FSMR concept design, which is configured to carry two SMART 100 SMRs.
The SMART 100 is an integrated SMR developed by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and received Standard Design Approval (SDA) from Korea`s Nuclear Safety and Security Commission in September 2024.
Under the certification process, SHI was responsible for the integration of the SMRs with the floating structure, the overall design of the nuclear power generation facilities, and the development of a multi-barrier reactor containment system. KAERI, meanwhile, carried out the task of adapting the land-based `SMART 100` SMR for offshore applications.
‘FSMR’ is expected to be highly advantageous for commercialization as a versatile floating nuclear power platform capable of hosting a wide range of SMR types.
A key feature of the FSMR is its compartment design, in which the reactor and power-generation systems are grouped and arranged by function. This approach allows different SMR types to be applied by modifying only the reactor-designated compartment, enabling flexible development of FSMRs tailored to diverse reactor configurations.
In addition, SHI enhanced safety by modularizing the reactor and safety systems, core components of floating nuclear power facilities, within a single containment vessel. This design allows the SMR to be installed and tested onshore prior to offshore installation, contributing to shorter construction schedules.
“This certification marks an important milestone in opening up the offshore nuclear power market,” said Young-kyu Ahn, Head of Offshore Business Division (Vice President) at SHI. “Leveraging our advanced floating technologies, Samsung Heavy Industries will continue to secure safe and economically viable offshore nuclear power solutions.”
“The acquisition of this AIP using SMART 100 demonstrates the innovative strength of Korea`s nuclear technology,” said Jin-young Cho, Head of the Advanced Reactor Research Institute at KAERI. “We will accelerate technology development to position Korea as a global leader in the offshore nuclear industry.”