U.S. Takes Next Step Toward Nuclear-Powered Commercial Ships

The U.S. Maritime Administration has signed an agreement with nuclear technology developer CORE POWER to explore a pathway toward U.S.-flagged nuclear-powered commercial ships, expanding the Trump administration’s push to bring small modular reactors into the maritime sector.

MARAD and CORE POWER (US) Inc. announced the Memorandum of Cooperation on Monday, establishing a framework to address some of the biggest obstacles facing commercial nuclear propulsion, including regulatory approval, port operations, crew credentialing, nuclear fuel and lifecycle services, insurance and financing.

The agreement is the third signed by the Department of Transportation since Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy launched a maritime small modular reactor initiative in May. Earlier agreements with the ports of Long Beach and Corpus Christi established potential testing areas and frameworks for exploring nuclear-powered vessels and shoreside applications.

“President Trump has made it clear that American energy dominance and maritime strength go hand in hand,” Maritime Administrator Stephen Carmel said. “Nuclear propulsion is a serious commercial opportunity, but it must be approached as a complete system — safe, secure, licensable, and investable.”

Unlike the earlier port agreements, the CORE POWER partnership brings a nuclear technology developer directly into MARAD’s initiative and focuses more specifically on what would be required to put nuclear-powered commercial ships under the U.S. flag.

CORE POWER is developing advanced nuclear technologies for maritime and industrial applications and has been among the industry’s most vocal proponents of using nuclear energy to transform commercial shipping.

Founder and CEO Mikal Bøe framed the effort partly in terms of competition with China, which is also pursuing nuclear technology for large commercial vessels.

“China is already moving toward nuclear-powered commercial shipping. That should focus minds in Washington,” Bøe said. “America does not regain maritime strength by building a slightly better version of yesterday’s ship.”

The agreement comes as interest in maritime nuclear propulsion is accelerating across the shipping industry. Nuclear power has been used aboard naval vessels and icebreakers for decades, but its use in commercial shipping has remained limited by high upfront costs, complex regulatory requirements, liability and insurance questions, port-access concerns and public acceptance.

MARAD’s initiative is aimed at beginning to work through those barriers while examining how advanced reactors could eventually fit into the U.S. marine transportation system and domestic shipbuilding industry.

The Port of Corpus Christi became the second port to join the initiative last week, signing an agreement with MARAD to study small modular reactors, resilient port microgrids, shoreside power infrastructure, facilities capable of supporting nuclear vessel propulsion and workforce development.

That followed an earlier agreement with the Port of Long Beach, which became the first U.S. seaport to formalize cooperation with MARAD on SMRs for commercial maritime applications. The Long Beach framework includes coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission on issues including safety standards, inspections and operating protocols.

The agreements remain exploratory and do not authorize construction of nuclear-powered commercial ships or commit the federal government to a particular reactor design.

For the CORE POWER partnership, MARAD said the work will extend beyond reactor technology itself to the broader commercial and regulatory ecosystem needed to make nuclear shipping viable.

The announcement also comes ahead of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s ATLAS launch forum focused on nuclear applications at sea.

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