ABS and US Department of Energy Sign Maritime Nuclear Agreement

ABS and the Office of Nuclear Energy of the US Department of Energy (DOE) signed a memorandum of understanding on October 12 to advance the application of modern nuclear technology in commercial maritime transport. The agreement seeks to lay the groundwork for vessels, floating power plants, and the necessary port and naval infrastructure to incorporate this type of propulsion and power generation.

The agreement includes concept and feasibility studies for floating nuclear power systems and for the creation of nuclear transport corridors. It also includes support for developing a US naval sector capable of safely building, operating, and maintaining nuclear-powered assets, along with addressing the technical, regulatory, economic, and public policy challenges that currently limit the commercial adoption of this technology at sea.

ABS President and CEO John McDonald stated that advanced nuclear technology is moving from concept to application and that the maritime industry needs to be prepared, noting that the agreement reflects work already underway and provides a framework to deepen it. For his part, Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Ted Garrish stated that this technology has the potential to transform the commercial maritime industry and open new markets for American innovation, and that the partnership with ABS will allow them to draw on decades of experience to safely introduce next-generation reactors into the maritime sector.

Under the agreement, ABS will co-manage the Maritime Nuclear Applications Group (MNAG) and will channel related work through the US Center for Maritime Innovation (USCMI), under the Maritime Administration (MARAD), where the classification society serves as Secretariat. The agreement adds to other previous federal initiatives, such as MARAD's call in May to develop small modular reactors for maritime use, the June agreement with the Port of Long Beach for nuclear vessel testing, and the August pact between MARAD and the Port of Corpus Christi to explore the integration of these reactors.

ABS had already published the industry's first comprehensive classification rules for floating nuclear power plants and granted approvals in principle for various projects, including a concept for a 15,000 TEU South Korean container ship with a molten salt reactor and a study on a 174,000 cubic meter LNG carrier powered by nuclear energy. According to Splash247, significant obstacles remain, such as regulatory acceptance, insurance, nuclear fuel supply, and port access, so the new agreement establishes a working framework to address these challenges without yet committing to the construction of a specific vessel or a deployment timeline.