Shipping nuclear propulsion start-up CORE POWER has announced that it will develop a US-anchored maritime civil nuclear program that will bring floating nuclear power to the market by the mid-2030s. The program, named Liberty, will encompass modular construction of advanced fission technology and create the regulatory and supply chain frameworks necessary to enable this technology to be rolled out worldwide. The first part of the program will see the mass production of floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs). The expertise gained in rolling out FNPPs on a large be a starting point for the second part of the program which involves developing nuclear propulsion for civil ships. FNPPs will be produced in shipyards on a modular production line, making use of well-established shipbuilding processes and leveraging an already skilled workforce. They will be manufactured as power barges that can be moored at ports and coastal locations, as well as larger-capacity generation units anchored further offshore. 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 program envisions opening the orderbook for FNPPs in 2028 and reaching full commercialisation by the middle of the next decade. Unlike conventional nuclear technologies, these reactors operate at near atmospheric pressures – negating the need for a large emergency exclusion zone and improving the insurability of FNPPs and nuclear-powered commercial ships. Nuclear technology would also enable a ship to run on a single fuel load for its entire design life while minimising the amount of waste produced. According to CORE POWER, nuclear-propelled ships will also provide improvements in speed, efficiency, and cargo-carrying capacity. The second phase will focus on developing the supply chain and workforce while the third phase will see the development of business operations models and the creation of the manufacturing base. CORE POWER will also look to work together with the IMO and the International Atomic Energy Authority to create a civil liability convention for nuclear-powered ships. “The Liberty program will unlock a floating power market worth $2.6tn, and shipyard construction of nuclear will deliver on time and budget. Given that 65% of economic activity takes place on the coast, this will allow nuclear to reach new markets,” said CORE POWER CEO Mikal Bøe. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); }); TagsUnited States