ABS Grants AiP for Nuclear Reactor Integration in Vessel Design

June 5, 2026

Photo Caption (L to R): Sangmin Park, Senior Vice President, HD KSOE; Jacopo Buongiorno, Battelle Energy Alliance Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT; Joshua Divin, ABS Senior Vice President, Marine Business Development; and Nikolas Vaporis, Chief Technical Officer of Capital Ship Management Corp. © ABS

ABS issued approval in principle (AIP) for the integration of a nuclear reactor into a cargo vessel propulsion system developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and Capital Maritime Group.

This design uses a special synthetic fluid to carry heat from the reactor core. Today’s designs typically focus on micro-scale thermal outputs of 10 to 20 megawatts. The MIT design’s near-atmospheric operating pressure can allow for thinner, lighter reactor vessels, supporting modular construction and easier transport.

This is the first AIP to be granted through the MIT Maritime Consortium, where ABS, HD KSOE and Capital Maritime Group are founding members. ABS reviewed the reactor-to-machinery interface based on class requirements.

The consortium brings together academia and industry to advance technologies with the potential to reshape the maritime sector, including alternative fuels, new nuclear technologies, data-driven operational strategies, autonomy, cybersecurity and onboard manufacturing.

The AIP is part of the ABS New Technology Qualification (NTQ) service that provides a structured approach to support the early adoption and implementation of innovative solutions.