NorthStandard, Core Power, LR Urge UK on Maritime Nuclear Power

Core Power, NorthStandard, and Lloyd’s Register (LR) jointly published Advanced Maritime Nuclear: A unique opportunity for the UK. The new paper sets out a policy framework for the UK Government to support the deployment of advanced small nuclear reactors on commercial ships and FNPPs. The report argues that the Department for Transport should include nuclear-powered shipping and FNPPs in an updated Clean Maritime Plan (CMP) and long-term nuclear strategy.

In the foreword to the paper, Lord Mountevans wrote: “The UK has the skills, expertise, and history of innovation to lead the development of nuclear-powered shipping. By leveraging our decades of experience with small reactors for the Royal Navy, we can decarbonize maritime transport, create jobs, and strengthen Britain’s position as a clean energy world power.”

The UK pledged to triple nuclear energy generation capacity at COP 28. The Civil Nuclear Roadmap to 2050, published by the last government, envisaged nuclear technologies, from Advanced Small Modular Reactors (A-SMRs) to large-scale nuclear plants, as part of the UK’s energy mix. These new, safe, and advanced nuclear technologies in modular designs allow for straightforward manufacturing and regulatory approval processes, enabling dramatic energy efficiency gains for global shipping. NorthStandard’s participation in the new paper reflects commercial insurability’s role in future nuclear operations in the civil maritime space, mainly to cover shipowners’ liability.