The Maritime Administration (MARAD) and CORE POWER (US) Inc. have announced a federal-private cooperation framework intended to accelerate the commercial, industrial and regulatory pathway for a future fleet of US-flagged nuclear-powered merchant ships.
The announcement comes amid growing attention to China’s position in commercial shipbuilding, where state-owned shipbuilders have been promoting nuclear-powered merchant-vessel concepts and developing related nuclear manufacturing capability.
The framework is linked to the US administration’s Maritime Action Plan, which aims to mobilise private investment in the country’s maritime industrial base.
Mikal Bøe, Founder and CEO of CORE POWER, said: “China is already moving toward nuclear-powered commercial shipping. That should focus minds in Washington. America does not regain maritime strength by building a better version of yesterday’s ship.
“The US has seven decades of nuclear-at-sea experience, world-class allies and the nuclear expertise to lead the next generation. Japan and Korea can accelerate conventional ship construction while America builds the specialist nuclear-grade integration and lifecycle capability at home, capability that can also strengthen the wider maritime industrial base.
“We are not asking for another study. CORE POWER is targeting first construction starts from 2028. Government can set the direction and coordinate; private industry must move the money and the steel.”
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For commercial shipping, nuclear propulsion would alter the basic operating model: a reactor can provide sustained high power for years between refuelling, reduce dependence on conventional marine fuel supply, and eliminate propulsion emissions, while also enabling higher sustained speeds without the fuel-volume and fuel-price constraints faced by conventional vessels.
Nuclear power has decades of operating experience in naval service, though the commercial task involves building a system that is safe, secure, licensable, insurable, financeable and operable at fleet scale.
Stephen M. Carmel, Administrator of the Maritime Administration, stated: “President Trump has made it clear that American energy dominance and maritime strength go hand in hand. This framework ensures that the United States leads the world with a secure U.S.-flagged fleet. Nuclear propulsion is a serious commercial opportunity, but it must be approached as a complete system – safe, secure, licensable, and investable.”
The Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) is intended to create a forum for government, industry and other stakeholders to work through regulatory acceptance, port operations, workforce credentialing, fuel and lifecycle services, insurance and finance, industrial capacity and potential federal demand structures.
For more information:
The Maritime Administration (MARAD) – https://www.maritime.dot.gov/
