China's Jiangnan Shipyard revealed the design of the world’s largest nuclear-powered 24000TEU container ship on December 5, 2023 at Marintec China in Shanghai. Photo: Screenshot from Weibo account of Maritime China

China on Tuesday revealed the design of the world's largest nuclear-powered container ship, media reported.

The Jiangnan Shipyard under the China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited officially released the ship type design of the 24000TEU-class nuclear-powered container ship at Marintec China 2023, a premier maritime exhibition being held in Shanghai from Tuesday to Friday, industry media outlets including Maritime China and China Ship News reported on the day.

It marks a revolutionary achievement by the shipyard in the development of near-zero emission ships, the reports said.

To meet the demands of energy saving and emissions reduction due to climate change, the Jiangnan Shipyard has been actively exploring ship types for container shipments and solutions in propulsion systems, and taking advantage of clean nuclear energy, used a fourth-generation molten salt reactor technology that is considered very advanced in the world, and proposed the design of this ultra-large nuclear-powered container ship, according to the reports.

The design has high safety standards, as the reactor runs under high temperature and low pressure, avoiding reactor meltdown from principle, the reports said, noting that even if a breach accident takes place, the reactor can be stopped quickly so it would not spread.

Global Times