Rotterdam study sets out pathway for nuclear-powered commercial ship port calls in Port News 19/06/2026 A new joint study using the Port of Rotterdam as a case study “Enabling Nuclear-Powered Feeder Ships: A Joint Development Project on Port Call Feasibility and Regulatory Pathways” has found that existing port safety and risk-management frameworks could provide a credible starting point for assessing nuclear-powered commercial ship calls within a major European port environment. The desktop study, carried out through a joint development project involving Lloyd’s Register, the Port of Rotterdam Authority, CORE POWER and A.P. Moller – Maersk, sets out the questions that ports, regulators and industry would need to answer in order to assess nuclear-powered vessels in a structured and responsible way. It also identifies further work that would be required before routine operation could be contemplated, including regulatory alignment, emergency preparedness, security, liability and public engagement. Its publication comes at a time of growing pressure on the shipping industry to identify even more scalable zero-emission technologies capable of meeting increasingly demanding decarbonisation requirements while preserving operational reliability, endurance and flexibility. The report argues that maritime nuclear propulsion should be evaluated as part of the wider discussion around shipping decarbonisation, energy resilience and long-term industrial competitiveness. While much of the current EU policy discussion has focused on alternative fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia and e-fuels, the report notes that segments of global shipping may ultimately require additional propulsion solutions capable of supporting endurance, reliability and operational flexibility at scale. The Port of Rotterdam participated as a case study because it provides a real-world European port environment through which to examine how emerging energy and shipping technologies could interact with existing