The organisation plans to advance work on global regulation, insurance and liability, and port readiness this year, managing director Virginia Crosbie told classification society RINA.
It also aims to publish a practical guide covering insurability and port governance for commercial vessels by 2027.
NEMO was granted non-governmental consultative status at the IMO last year and plans to work with the IMO, Nuclear Energy Agency, International Atomic Energy Agency and classification societies to develop the frameworks needed for commercial deployment.
Nuclear power could initially be suited to fixed routes and ice-class vessels, as well as “energy intensive offshore activities”, Crosbie said.
“Over the longer term, if regulatory clarity and financing confidence mature, nuclear could become a scalable pillar for parts of the [large ocean going] fleet where high energy density and endurance are decisive advantages,” she added.
The development of small modular reactor technology could also enable nuclear power to be used for shore power and green fuel production, according to Crosbie.
Several NEMO members are already exploring maritime nuclear applications.
American Bureau of Shipping, Lloyd’s Register, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and CORE Power are involved in separate studies assessing the use of nuclear technology for ship propulsion and onboard power generation.
Source: By Konica Bhatt, ENGINE
