Convened by Lloyd’s Register, acting as lead and secretariat, the newly launched Maritime Nuclear Consortium brings together companies spanning reactor design, shipbuilding, security, insurance and legal regulation with the goal of establishing the technical, regulatory, and commercial foundations for nuclear-powered merchant vessels.
Its core members include Rolls-Royce, Babcock International Group, Global Nuclear Security Partners, Stephenson Harwood and marine insurer NorthStandard, who will collaborate to build a framework that allows nuclear propulsion to be certified, insured and regulated for commercial use.
‘Maritime nuclear power is a proven, advanced and safe energy source that can tackle one of the toughest challenges in the energy transition,’ Lloyd’s Register noted in its press release accompanying the launch. ‘The next generation of advanced modular reactors will allow ships to sail for years without refuelling, with zero carbon emissions and rigorous safety built in from the start. Nuclear produces no carbon dioxide. Reactors run for years, not weeks. With no need to trade efficiency for emissions standards, ships can run at full design speed instead of slow steaming.’
These advanced modular reactors represent a new generation of compact nuclear systems designed for civilian applications beyond the power grid. More than 700 marine nuclear reactors already operate in naval fleets worldwide. The challenge for commercial shipping is not inventing the technology, but adapting it to a regulatory and commercial environment shaped by civilian safety, port access, insurance and public acceptance.
Its first programme will work on five interlocking areas: demonstrating a Statement of Design Acceptability for a generic, site-licensed advanced modular reactor; developing a class certification framework that integrates nuclear and maritime regulation; defining security and safeguards architectures; establishing insurability pathways; and publishing guidance to accelerate adoption by industry and government.
Nick Brown, LR CEO, commented: ‘Decarbonisation demands cleaner power, higher standards and a duty to the generations that follow,’ he said. ‘Nuclear is ready to meet that test.’ He added that, if the UK takes the lead on global standards, ‘nuclear will mean more than zero-carbon ships. It will mean work in British shipyards, new business in the City, and lasting jobs for those who build, insure and sail the world’s fleet’.
For Rolls-Royce, which leads reactor design within the group, the project aligns with broader efforts to position nuclear energy as part of the industrial energy transition. Jake Thompson, director of Rolls-Royce Advanced Modular Reactors, said: ‘Energy transition is a growing priority across multiple industries and nuclear is increasingly seen as part of the solution.’ He added: ‘We believe that the multi-sector collaboration from the Nuclear Maritime Consortium is a critical first step in the UK leading the development of the future international code for nuclear-powered vessels.’
A report published last year by Core Power, NorthStandard and Lloyd’s Register argued that advanced maritime nuclear could become a multi-billion-pound industry if supported by the right investment and regulation. It proposed a framework for deploying advanced reactors on commercial ships and floating nuclear power plants, positioning shipping as both a transport sector and an energy infrastructure platform.
