Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and Samsung Heavy Industries announced on September 9 that they had obtained the world’s first approval in principle (AiP) for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier powered by a small modular molten salt reactor (MSR).
The certification was granted during Gastech 2025, held in Milan from September 9 to 12. Gastech is the world’s largest gas and energy exhibition, with participation from shipbuilding, shipping, and classification industries.
According to the announcement, AiP is a symbolic procedure in which a classification society reviews a new vessel’s design or technology to confirm compliance with international regulations and safety standards. It represents the first step toward actual ship development.
The AiP for the MSR-powered LNG carrier was issued by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and the Liberian flag administration. The concept vessel uses an MSR jointly designed by KAERI and Samsung Heavy Industries as its propulsion system.
MSR technology uses molten salt as both fuel and coolant, and it is cited as having high safety and energy efficiency for marine engines. The LNG carrier design includes a single 100 MWth MSR unit, which, according to the developers, eliminates the need for refueling over the vessel’s lifetime.
KAERI and Samsung Heavy Industries have been participating since 2023 in a research and development program supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of Korea. The goal is to complete the conceptual design of a marine MSR by 2026.
Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) is a government-funded research institute established under the National Research Council of Science and Technology in South Korea. It conducts nuclear science and engineering research, including the development of advanced reactor systems, nuclear safety, and radiation technology applications.
Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. is a publicly traded South Korean shipbuilding company and part of the Samsung Group. The company specializes in building container ships, LNG carriers, tankers, offshore platforms, and specialized vessels, and it also engages in engineering and construction projects.