Leaders Address Regulatory Barriers to Maritime Nuclear Technologies

[By American Bureau of Shipping]

The U.S. Center for Maritime Innovation (USCMI) convened industry, government and regulatory leaders for a workshop on Maritime Nuclear Technology Regulatory Barriers. Facilitated by its Secretariat, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), and in collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG’s) Maritime Nuclear Policy Division and U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) leadership, the event focused on identifying and addressing the challenges associated with deploying advanced nuclear technology in the maritime sector.

The workshop brought together stakeholders from across the maritime, energy, and regulatory communities, including shipowners, shipbuilders, technology developers, classification societies and federal agencies. Participants explored pathways to enable the safe, secure and commercially viable adoption of nuclear-powered vessels and offshore energy platforms.

“The United States has a critical opportunity to lead in the deployment of next generation maritime systems powered by small modular reactors,” said Steve Carmel, U.S. Maritime Administrator. “Workshops like this ensure we are bringing the right stakeholders together to identify and address regulatory barriers, fostering innovation while maintaining the highest standards of safety and security.”

“The collaboration we are seeing across industry and government is essential to advancing maritime nuclear technologies from concept to reality,” said David Walker, Executive Director of the Secretariat operating the USCMI for MARAD and Vice President at ABS. “By convening stakeholders with diverse expertise, USCMI is helping to clarify regulatory pathways and accelerate progress toward viable, scalable solutions for the maritime sector.”

The workshop also featured keynote remarks and engagement from key federal partners, including Captain Robert Compher, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy at the USCG and Dr. Mehdi Reisi Fard Director of the Division of Advanced Reactor Engineering in the Office of Advanced Reactors at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Through the workshop, a large audience of in-person and online participants shared their inputs on potential regulatory and other related barriers that oversight agencies need to address to facilitate safe deployment of this innovative technology in maritime applications. Discussions underscored the complexity of maritime nuclear deployment, including licensing pathways, safety frameworks, operational considerations and coordination across domestic and international regulatory bodies. Participants emphasized that continued collaboration between industry and government will be critical to enabling innovation while ensuring robust safety and security standards.