Long Beach Signs Memorandum with Marad to Study Nuclear Propulsion in Ships

At the U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) headquarters, Port of Long Beach CEO, Noel Hacegaba, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the national Maritime Administration (Marad) to study what would be needed to safely support emerging nuclear technologies.

Long Beach is now the first port in the country to formally study what it would take to safely accept commercial vessels powered by small modular reactors. Although any potential application is still years away, a proactive approach is being taken to explore innovations in clean energy.

The Port of Long Beach will work alongside Marad, the Department of Energy (DoE), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Coast Guard (USCG) to better understand the opportunities and considerations associated with these emerging technologies.

This study agreement does not commit port funding or select any technology. "As the 'Port of the Future,' we are committed to preparing for what's next while advancing at the pace of safety," stated the Port of Long Beach.