ABS Grants Approval for Nuclear Reactor Integration in Vessel Design Developed Through MIT Maritime Consortium in International Shipping News , Shipping: Emission Possible 06/06/2026 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. “As the industry evaluates new pathways for the future, this approval in principle highlights the value of collaboration with key stakeholders in advancing promising commercial nuclear technologies. The MIT reactor design is an interesting piece of technology. With characteristics that can support modular fabrication and vessel integration, these emerging technologies represent one possible pathway toward the safe, practical development of next-generation commercial shipping solutions,” said Patrick Ryan, ABS Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. (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 Sen