[Yonahp/ December 16, 2025] Samsung Heavy Industries has secured a key certification for its floating offshore nuclear power platform, marking a milestone in the development of maritime nuclear energy solutions.

The South Korean shipbuilder said on the 15th that it has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the conceptual design of its Floating Small Modular Reactor (FSMR) platform. The design features two SMART 100 reactors, an integrated SMR developed by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). The SMART 100 received standard design approval from South Korea’s Nuclear Safety and Security Commission in September last year.

Under the project, Samsung Heavy Industries is responsible for integrating the SMRs with the floating structure, designing the overall nuclear power generation facilities, and developing a multi-barrier reactor containment system. KAERI will adapt the land-based SMART 100 reactor design for offshore applications.

A company official described the ABS certification as a “significant milestone” in Samsung Heavy’s efforts to pioneer the maritime nuclear power sector. “We will continue to secure safe and economical maritime nuclear technologies by leveraging our expertise in floating structures,” said a Samsung Heavy executive, in a press release.

According to the company, the FSMR is a flexible floating nuclear facility concept capable of accommodating different types of SMRs. Its compartment-based design allows the reactor section to be modified without changing the overall platform structure, improving scalability and construction efficiency.

Safety and efficiency are further enhanced by housing the reactor and key safety systems within a single containment module, which enables land-based testing before offshore installation, Samsung Heavy added.