Whitepaper
Nuclear’s role in shipping’s decarbonization
Apr. 22 2025
This whitepaper provides a summary of the analysis as to why nuclear power would make sense in the maritime sector, covering propulsion, coastal near-shore nuclear power plants and on-land installation using SMR (small modular reactor) technologies within port premises. It assesses the available and under-development technologies that are applicable for different purposes and the applicable regulatory contexts. It concludes with a plausible timeline if all the identified main challenges are addressed for the large-scale industrial deployment of nuclear power in the maritime industry.
This extensive study has been carried out by the New Energies Coalition, as part of one of its working groups led by Bureau Veritas, with the valuable contribution of CMA CGM, PSA International, and ONET, and in collaboration with one of the major global consultancies.It is intended to provide decision-makers with objective information on one of the possible zero-emission technologies for the future of maritime.