A desktop study using the Port of Rotterdam as a case study has found that existing port safety and risk-management frameworks could provide a credible starting point for assessing nuclear-powered commercial ship calls within a major European port environment, according to the organisations behind the research.

The study — 'Enabling Nuclear-Powered Feeder Ships: A Joint Development Project on Port Call Feasibility and Regulatory Pathways' — was carried out through a joint development project involving Lloyd's Register (LR), the Port of Rotterdam Authority, nuclear energy technology company Core Power and A.P. Moller-Maersk. It sets out the questions that ports, regulators and industry would need to answer in order to assess nuclear-powered vessels in a structured way, and identifies further work required before routine operation could be contemplated.

The areas identified as requiring further work include regulatory alignment, emergency preparedness, security, liability and public engagement.

The publication comes amid growing pressure on the shipping industry to identify scalable zero-emission technologies capable of meeting decarbonisation requirements while maintaining operational reliability and flexibility. The report argues that maritime nuclear propulsion should be evaluated as part of the wider discussion around shipping decarbonisation, energy resilience and long-term industrial competitiveness.

While much of the current EU policy discussion has focused on alternative fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia and e-fuels, the report notes that segments of global shipping may ultimately require additional propulsion solutions capable of supporting endurance, reliability and operational flexibility at scale.

The study examined a defined feeder vessel concept, an assumed operating scenario, a port-call profile and a regulatory context. The organisations stress it is not a licensing assessment, an endorsement of deployment, or a final safety or security case.

Among the key findings, the study concludes that current IMO provisions relating to nuclear-powered ships were developed for an earlier era and require modernisation to support any future civil commercial nuclear propulsion pathway. It also finds that current European maritime decarbonisation discussions remain heavily focused on alternative fuels, with comparatively limited consideration of high-density, zero-emission propulsion systems capable of supporting long-range and high-utilisation shipping operations.

Mikal Bøe, CEO of Core Power, said: "An obvious key to the success of civil maritime nuclear propulsion is the trusted confidence of port cities and their populations in ship calls by nuclear-powered merchant ships. Together with Rotterdam, LR and Maersk we've identified a port safety framework and created a credible starting point for assessments by the IMO as it revises the Safety Code for Nuclear Ships and for the IAEA as it launches its flagship ATLAS programme this summer."

Bøe added: "Greenhouse gas emissions from the existing shipping fleet have become unsustainable and have led to the slowest sailing times we've seen in decades. Now is the time to start the important work of evaluating nuclear shipping in a modern context and this report does exactly that."

René de Vries, Harbour Master of the Port of Rotterdam, commented: "Ports need to understand how emerging energy and shipping technologies may interact with future port operations and industrial systems. This study represents an initial case study assessment intended to better understand the regulatory, operational and safety considerations associated with nuclear-powered commercial shipping within a European port context."

Meg Albrecht, Senior Engineer — Nuclear Technology and Alternative Fuels at Lloyd's Register, remarked: "The maritime energy transition will require the industry to examine a range of future fuel and propulsion pathways. This work contributes to a broader understanding of the regulatory and operational considerations associated with nuclear-powered vessels and helps establish a structured basis for further discussion and analysis."

Ole Graa Jakobsen, Head of Fleet Technology at A.P. Moller-Maersk, stated: "Civil commercial nuclear propulsion presents a number of significant challenges, including safety, waste management, regulatory alignment and public acceptance across regions. This study does not represent a decision to pursue nuclear propulsion, but contributes to further understanding of what would be required for ports and authorities to assess such vessels in a structured and responsible way. We continue to monitor and assess this technology alongside other low-emission solutions."