A joint study by Lloyd’s Register, the Port of Rotterdam Authority, CORE POWER and Maersk has found that the principal barriers to the introduction of nuclear-powered commercial vessels are regulatory alignment, governance, risk management integration and public acceptance, rather than technical feasibility.
The study examined the feasibility of a nuclear-powered feeder vessel calling at the Port of Rotterdam and concluded that existing risk-based port safety frameworks could provide a starting point for assessing nuclear-powered ships.
However, it identified significant gaps in regulation, governance, liability and emergency preparedness that would need to be addressed before routine commercial operations could be considered.
Although the assessment used Rotterdam as a case study, the report concludes that many of the challenges identified are applicable across European ports and are not specific to a particular location or operating model.
A key finding is that ports currently lack clear guidance on how to interpret nuclear operating licences, insurance requirements and liability arrangements for visiting nuclear-powered vessels. The study also highlights limited integration between maritime and nuclear safety regimes, with responsibilities currently divided across separate regulatory frameworks.
The report finds that existing IMO provisions governing nuclear-powered ships require modernisation to support any future civil commercial deployment. Updated guidance and coordination is needed from both the IMO and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The authors write that ‘nuclear ships can be evaluated using the same safety themes and processes already applied to other high-risk maritime activities’. Moreover, where gaps exist, they are generally the result of limited guidance rather than technical incompatibilities.
The study sets out a phased roadmap for ports, regulators and industry to address these gaps. Near-term priorities include vessel design studies, risk assessments, development of port safety and security guidance, and collaborative updates to international codes and guidance through the IMO and IAEA. Subsequent work would focus on public engagement, emergency response planning, training standards, security arrangements and liability frameworks.
The report also notes that operation of the first nuclear-powered commercial vessels would require multilateral agreement between states on the recognition of nuclear operating licences, insurance arrangements covering ships and ports, approvals from maritime authorities, and appropriately trained ship and port personnel.
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.’
Ole Graa Jakobsen, head of fleet technology at A.P. Moller-Maersk, said: ‘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.’
