en.Wedoany.com Reported - Samsung Heavy Industries has signed a memorandum of understanding with Sargent & Lundy (S&L) to jointly develop a standard floating small modular reactor (FSMR) platform compatible with multiple reactor types. The platform aims to provide versatility for installing various reactors, offering flexible options for shipowners and customers.
Under the agreement, the two parties will collaborate on key stages of FSMR commercialization, including development, licensing support, construction planning, and maritime deployment strategies, to facilitate early commercial deployment of the FSMR standard platform.
Samsung Heavy Industries stated that the collaboration aims to enhance the technical integrity of the FSMR to meet evolving international and U.S. regulatory standards. Targeting global markets, including the United States, this agreement is expected to be a key step in advancing the FSMR project, currently in the conceptual design phase, toward actual commercial deployment.
Samsung Heavy Industries noted that with the recent surge in electricity demand across all industries, coupled with the expansion of artificial intelligence data centers, FSMR is gaining attention as an effective energy infrastructure solution for coastal island regions with limited access to onshore production sites or grid connections.
Shiven Sulkar, Chief Nuclear Officer (Vice President) at S&L, stated that the collaboration with Samsung Heavy Industries on FSMR development will be a significant step toward the clean energy future of the United States. Combining S&L's leadership in nuclear engineering with Samsung Heavy Industries' proven expertise in offshore platforms will accelerate the development of FSMR tailored to the U.S. market, providing electric utilities, coastal states, and federal agencies with a flexible pathway to adopt nuclear energy.
Kim Kyung-hee, Head of Samsung Heavy Industries' Future Business Division, added that the partnership with S&L, a global leader in nuclear power plant design and engineering, marks a milestone in advancing Samsung Heavy Industries' FSMR technology to new heights. Samsung Heavy Industries will accelerate the development of FSMR technology as a next-generation growth engine to lead the global offshore nuclear power market.
In December 2025, Samsung Heavy Industries received Approval in Principle (AIP) from the American Bureau of Shipping for a floating offshore nuclear power platform utilizing two SMART100 small modular reactors developed by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). During the certification process, Samsung Heavy Industries was responsible for integrating the small modular reactors with the floating structure, overall design of the nuclear power generation facility, and development of the multi-barrier reactor containment system. Meanwhile, KAERI adapted the land-based SMART100 small modular reactor for maritime applications.
Although the AIP granted by ABS was for a floating platform using two SMART100 reactors, Samsung Heavy Industries stated at the time that the concept could be modified to accommodate different small modular reactor designs.
