Nuclear-powered commercial ships have moved closer to deployment after governments, regulators and industry gathered in Washington, D.C., to address the practical barriers standing in the way of nuclear technology at sea.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) launched its ATLAS initiative — formally known as the High-Level Forum on Atomic Technologies Licensed for Applications at Sea — on 26–27 August in partnership with the U.S. Government. The programme brings together governments, regulators, international organisations and industry to develop the frameworks required for nuclear energy to be deployed across commercial shipping and other maritime applications.

The Nuclear Energy Maritime Organization (NEMO), an international non-governmental organisation working to enable the deployment of nuclear energy at sea, participated in the Washington launch and described the initiative as a potential turning point for the sector.

NEMO chief executive Virginia Crosbie commented: “The future of commercial shipping is nuclear. For years, people have talked about whether nuclear could have a role in commercial shipping. That debate is changing very quickly. We are moving from ‘if’ to ‘when’.

“The technology exists. Nuclear vessels have been operating safely for decades. What we now need is the international regulatory, legal, insurance and commercial framework that allows a new generation of nuclear-powered commercial ships to operate around the world.”

The launch comes amid growing interest from the United States in maritime nuclear technology. The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) recently conducted a request for information on advanced nuclear technologies for maritime applications, while U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has placed nuclear expansion at the centre of America’s energy agenda.

Beyond propulsion

According to NEMO, the potential market for maritime nuclear extends beyond ship propulsion. The organisation identifies three emerging application areas: nuclear propulsion for commercial vessels, floating nuclear power plants and nuclear energy for offshore industrial operations.

Floating nuclear plants, it says, could supply power to ports, islands, coastal communities and industrial facilities where grid infrastructure is limited or energy security is a concern, while offshore nuclear could meet the continuous, large-scale power demands of energy-intensive industrial operations.

Crosbie said: “This is much bigger than putting a reactor on a ship. Maritime nuclear has the potential to create entirely new markets for clean, secure and reliable energy. Nuclear offers something extraordinarily valuable at sea: huge amounts of energy from very small quantities of fuel, combined with endurance and reliability.”

A regulatory challenge

Nuclear propulsion at sea is not a new concept. Naval vessels and icebreakers powered by nuclear reactors have operated for decades, and the American NS Savannah demonstrated civilian nuclear propulsion more than 60 years ago. However, establishing an international regulatory system capable of governing vessels carrying nuclear reactors across multiple jurisdictions and ports remains a central challenge.

Crosbie observed: “Ships move. Nuclear power stations traditionally don’t. That simple difference creates one of the most fascinating regulatory challenges in the energy transition. No single company, regulator or country can solve it alone.”

According to NEMO, ATLAS is intended to bring together the parties needed to resolve those issues. Crosbie remarked: “The prize is enormous. Get the framework right and we could be looking at the emergence of an entirely new global industry.”

NEMO, which holds consultative status with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), says it is working internationally with governments, regulators and industry to help develop the regulatory, safety, legal and commercial frameworks required for maritime nuclear deployment.