Nuclear-powered maritime vessels are not a new idea. Work on nuclear-powered marine propulsion began in the United States in the 1940s, and the USS Nautilus, America’s first nuclear-powered submarine, was put to sea in 1955. Today, the U.S. Navy depends on nuclear to power both aircraft carriers and submarines. While the military adopted nuclear-powered maritime vessels decades ago, the technology is uncommon in the civilian maritime industry. Now, a company has set out to change that. 

CORE POWER is a marine nuclear innovator located in the United Kingdom. The company plans to bring its work to the United States by launching a maritime civil nuclear program. The program, called Liberty in honor of a line of ships built in the United States during World War II, aims to open up the civilian market for “floating” nuclear power by the 2030s. 

“The Liberty program will unlock a floating power market worth $2.6tn [trillion], and shipyard construction of nuclear will deliver on time and on budget,” commented CORE POWER’s CEO Mikal Bøe. “Given that 65% of economic activity takes place on the coast, this will allow nuclear to reach new markets.”

Nuclear-powered vessels typically have an onboard nuclear reactor. The energy produced by the reactor generates heat that creates a highly pressured steam, which spins propulsion turbines that power the vessel’s propeller. Other turbines provide onboard energy for the ship or submarine. The U.S. Military’s use of nuclear power has produced vessels that can run for a long time without refueling, reducing the vessel’s carbon footprint and operational expenses. 

If CORE POWER or other marine nuclear innovators succeed, the civilian maritime industry could reap the same environmental and economic benefits. The Liberty program aims to bring nuclear-powered propulsion to civilian ships, but it will first tackle a different marine nuclear initiative: mass production of floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs). 

>>>READ: America Could Bring Hybrid Nuclear and Desalination Plants Online

FNPPs are modular nuclear reactors typically constructed on barges. After construction, they can be relocated to places that might benefit from marine-based nuclear power, such as coastal communities or offshore drilling and mining sites. “A fleet of FNPPs can be mass produced and towed to customer locations without complex site preparations, while a central yard carries out commissioning, maintenance, refuelling, and waste management,” the company explained.

The Liberty program aims to begin accepting orders for FNPPs by 2028, with full commercialization expected by the 2030s. Production of these plants and the development of civilian nuclear propulsion will take place in the United States. 

CORE POWER is working toward an ambitious goal, facing design challenges that they must address to scale the technology and navigating regulatory barriers. Any nuclear development effort in the United States faces government-imposed hurdles. The company will also work with the International Maritime Organization and the International Atomic Energy Authority to create a civil liability convention for nuclear-powered ships. If the work on civil liability for marine nuclear is similar to that for oil spills, it could also impact the speed at which this technology is deployed.

There are certainly roadblocks to expanding civilian marine nuclear in American waters. However, this sort of audacious, innovative spirit drives great achievements. Currently, the maritime sector produces nearly 3 percent of annual global greenhouse emissions, but with widespread marine nuclear power, that figure could effectively dwindle to nothing. 

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.