European maritime and nuclear players ink strategic cooperation agreement

France-based classification society Bureau Veritas (BV), together with thirty European companies from the French and wider nuclear and maritime sectors, has formally signed a cooperation declaration aimed at speeding up nuclear applications in the maritime industry.

Formally named the “Declaration of Cooperation for Accelerating Nuclear for Maritime Applications to meet Climate Ambitions”, the agreement was reportedly signed at an exhibition in Paris on November 5.

Officials from BV have highlighted that the signing represents “a landmark initiative” that strives to combine efforts of international stakeholders across the nuclear, maritime, research, financial and regulatory communities and promote an all-embracing European effort to push forward the “safe and sustainable” use of nuclear technologies that could aid in the energy transition, i.e., decarbonization.

The signatories of the document said that they would commit to an ongoing cross-industry collaboration to address technological, regulatory and societal challenges within this landscape, and identify pilot projects to test and validate nuclear-powered solutions.

Specifically, as disclosed, the declaration is envisioned to recognize the ‘essential’ role of the maritime sector in achieving global climate goals and the need to transition to low-carbon energy systems, including nuclear solutions. It further spotlights the potential of small modular reactors (SMRs) to act as sustainable, safe and reliable options for maritime and port energy systems.

Moreover, the signatories reiterated their dedication to ‘advancing’ innovation in line with the France 2030 Investment Plan that sets aside €1 billion (roughly $1.15 billion) for the engineering of new nuclear technologies, such as SMRs.

In addition to this, according to Bureau Veritas, the participants have called on administrations to craft a ‘robust’ European ecosystem that can foster the development of marine nuclear solutions as a means of strengthening collaboration with institutions such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as well as the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

As noted, they have also urged governments and institutions to offer regulatory clarity, safety standards and equitable access to climate finance.

“The integration of nuclear technology into maritime operations represents a transformative opportunity, but it must be built on the foundations of safety, transparency, and international cooperation,” Matthieu de Tugny, Executive Vice President, Industrials and Commodities at Bureau Veritas, remarked.

Commenting further, Christine Cabau Woehrel, Executive Vice President Assets & Operations at CMA CGM, and Chair of the Steering Committee of the New Energies Coalition, said: “The role of nuclear energy in the decarbonization of maritime and port environments is emerging with both promise and responsibility. Collaboration, transparency, and scientific rigor will guide our path forward for port electrification and maritime decarbonization.”

“This declaration of cooperation emphasizes the need for coordinated international efforts to address the technological, regulatory, societal, and financial challenges associated with integrating civil nuclear power into the maritime sector. We are actively supporting several innovative projects for decarbonization, involving SMRs, because we think the SMR approach is a new opportunity to re-evaluate the potential of nuclear energy for the maritime industry,” Émilie de Lombarès, Chairwoman of the Executive Board at Onet Group, added.

Efforts to promote the application of nuclear energy in the maritime industry, particularly in the context of decarbonization, have gained increased momentum in the past months, in France as well as in Europe and beyond.

In April, for instance, the UK’s classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) inked an agreement with Queensland-based ship design group Seatransport and Houston-headquartered engineering company Deployable Energy to explore nuclear power in maritime.

In October, LR had also unveiled new guidance aimed at giving the shipping industry its ‘first-ever’ roadmap for the use of nuclear propulsion.

Just weeks before that, companies from the United Kingdom and the United States shook hands on ‘major’ new deals that are envisioned to ‘boost’ the expansion of nuclear power stations in both countries.