Hyundai Glovis reviews the possibility of commercial operation of SMR-propelled car carriers on the Korea-U.S. route with a U.S. logistics company

Signed a business agreement with an American logistics company

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yun-gu = Hyundai Glovis [086280] is collaborating with an American logistics company to review the possibility of commercial operation of a car carrier (PCTC) using a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) as a power source on the Korea-US route.

Hyundai Glovis announced on the 6th that it signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for joint review of Korea-US route operation for SMR-powered car carriers' with Liberty Global Logistics (LGL) of the United States.

LGL is a shipping and international multimodal transportation company that transports automobiles, heavy equipment, heavy cargo, and project cargo. It also transports U.S. government cargo.

Under this agreement, the two companies will jointly study the feasibility of commercial operation of SMR-powered vessels on the Korea-U.S. route.

Hyundai Glovis evaluates the characteristics, regulatory environment, and operating requirements of Korean ports, while LGL reviews related regulations and operating environments in the United States. The two companies also plan to study ship development and construction feasibility and commercialization strategies together.

Using SMR as a power source for ships is expected to significantly reduce carbon emissions during the operation process and enable long-term operation without fuel replacement. Cargo loading efficiency can also be improved as there is no need for fuel tanks and exhaust gas discharge facilities.

The government is also promoting the development of SMR ships that combine nuclear power, shipbuilding, and marine technology along with the development of innovative SMR (i-SMR).

Hyundai Glovis obtained basic approval (AiP) from Lloyd's Register for the SMR propulsion PCTC concept design at Posidonia, the world's largest shipping exhibition held in Athens, Greece last June. AiP is a certification granted by the classification society after reviewing the technical feasibility and safety of the conceptual design.

A Hyundai Glovis official said, “Through this collaboration, we plan to verify various conditions necessary for actual commercial operations,” and added, “Following the LNG dual-fuel propulsion PCTC, we will expand the scope of review to include next-generation carbon-free ship technology to prepare for the future shipping market.”