Maritime Nuclear Energy
What is maritime nuclear?
With approximately 80% of the world’s goods transported by sea, the global shipping industry is at the heart of international commerce. Safely transporting these goods in the isolated, challenging marine environment requires reliable and durable power sources. Maritime industries support not only shipping and freight, but also offshore energy, passenger transport, desalinization, flood control and disaster mitigation. Large diesel engines, some of the most durable and reliable power sources available, have enabled maritime industries.
As the civilian power industry looks to meet growing demand with advanced nuclear energy, nuclear developers are searching for new markets for their technology. The maritime industry has now begun to explore nuclear as a powerful, cost-effective energy source.
What are we trying to accomplish?
The goal of NRIC’s involvement in the maritime sector is to support nuclear investment decisions by connecting the maritime and nuclear industries, and to encourage the demonstration and commercialization of maritime projects. To make this possible, NRIC supports advanced nuclear energy technologies through foundational studies, testing and collaboration.
History of commercial maritime nuclear
Efforts to demonstrate and develop commercial nuclear power date back to the late 1950s with the development of the NS Savannah, which entered service in 1962. There have been numerous efforts over the past 60 years to develop the technology, but notably there has been a significant push for commercial maritime nuclear since 2020.
Floating Nuclear Power
Westinghouse and Core Power
Westinghouse and Core Power formalized an agreement for the design and development of a floating nuclear power plant (FNPP) using the eVinci™ microreactor.
Nuclear Ship Propulsion
KSOE, Core Power, Southern Company and TerraPower
South Korea's HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) plans to develop a small modular reactor (SMR) for use in shipping.
Floating Nuclear Power
BWX Technologies and Crowley
BWXT and Crowley announced a collaboration to explore deploying a microreactor on a shallow-draft hull ship to supply small-scale nuclear energy to shoreside locations.
Floating Nuclear Power
Fincantieri, RINA, and Newcleo
Fincantieri, RINA, and Newcleo announced the development of a feasibility study for potential maritime application of lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR) technology for the shipping industry.
Nuclear Ships Regulations
United Kingdom
UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) adopts Merchant Shipping (Nuclear Ships) Regulations (generated from IMO SOLAS Chapter VIII and resolution A.491(XII) on Nuclear Ships.
Floating Nuclear Power
X-Energy and RBC Logistics
X-Energy and RBC Logistics signed a memorandum of understanding for joint development of the XE-Mobile Marine Project, which is a high-temperature gas reactor (HTGR).
Floating Nuclear Power
Seaborg Technologies, Samsung Heavy Industries, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power
Seaborg, Samsung Heavy Industries, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power announce consortium to develop floating nuclear power plants utilizing molten salt reactor (MSR) technology that supports hydrogen production plants and ammonia plants.
Floating Nuclear Power
NuScale, Prodigy, and Kinetrics
NuScale, Prodigy, and Kinetrics start to explore regulatory framework to license and deploy a Prodigy Marien Power Station integrated with NuScale Power Modules (LWR).
Floating Nuclear Power
China & Russia
Chinese firm, Wison Offshore & Marine Shipyard, contracts to build two Floating Nuclear Power Plants (FNPP) for Rosatom to be deployed offshore Russia and supply power to remote mining sites.
Nuclear Ship Propulsion
South Korea
South Korea's Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and Samsung Heavy Industries sign agreement to develop a molten salt reactor for ship propulsion.
Floating Nuclear Power
Denmark
Danish nuclear company Seaborg receives a statement of feasibility for a compact MSR installed on barge for clean energy in Southeast Asia.
Nuclear Ship Propulsion / Industrial Heat Applications
Core Power, Southern Company, TerraPower, and Orano
Core Power, Southern Company, Terrapower and Orano started developing a modular MSR for ship propulsion and energy for manufacturing blue/green fuels.
Floating Nuclear Power
Russia
Akademik Lomonosov, non-self-propelled power barge owned by Russian State corporation Rosatom (non-commercial application), is commissioned.
Nuclear Ship Propulsion
Russia
Sevmorput, Soviet nuclear powered LASH carrier, achieves criticality.
Floating Nuclear Power
Westinghouse and Offshore Power Systems
NRC grants a manufacturing license for up to 8 floating nuclear power plants each designed to operate at 3,411 megawatts thermal.
Nuclear Ship Propulsion
Japan
The Mutsu, a nuclear-powered cargo ship, achieves criticality.
Nuclear Ship Propulsion
Germany
The Otto Hahn, a nuclear-powered cargo ship and research facility, achieves criticality and is certified for commercial freight transport.
Nuclear Ship Propulsion
United States
The NS Savannah, a nuclear-powered merchant ship, achieves full reactor power and undertakes its maiden voyage.