LR unpacks new guidance charting the path to nuclear propulsion at sea

The UK-based classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) has issued new guidance aimed at offering the maritime industry its “first” roadmap for nuclear-powered shipping.

Dubbed the “Navigating Nuclear Energy in Maritime”, the document reportedly offers a pathway for the “safe and responsible” use of nuclear technology—an emerging but increasingly attractive solution for net-zero targets—in commercial shipping and offshore industries, with an additional emphasis on the regulatory and economic challenges within this landscape.

As disclosed, the guidance, which builds on LR’s “Fuel for Thought: Nuclear research programme”, was crafted in collaboration with Global Nuclear Security Partners (GNSP) and marine insurer NorthStandard.

It specifically defines steps that project teams need to take, such as outlining regulatory, technical, operational and financial requirements for integrating nuclear power (including small modular reactors, or SMRs) into maritime assets.

According to LR, due to the absence of an international regulatory framework, the society’s new document examined the roles of ‘key’ bodies, like the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), spotlighting the significance of synergizing maritime and nuclear standards.

Representatives from LR have explained that the topics in the guidelines encompass safety classifications, assessments of the environmental impact, structural integrity, and the development of a nuclear safety case. Security measures are said to have been tackled, too, with an emphasis on physical and cyber protection systems and insider threat mitigation.

Per Lloyd’s Register, operational as well as financial aspects have also been investigated, including inspections of personnel qualifications, emergency response planning and quality assurance throughout a project’s lifecycle. This entails insurance and reinsurance challenges and a call for a predictable liability roadmap to support commercial viability.

“Nuclear energy has the potential to transform maritime, providing a scalable and zero-carbon energy source that can accelerate the industry’s energy transition. However, its adoption requires clarity, collaboration and trust across regulators, operators, insurers and wider society,” said Mark Tipping, LR’s Global Power to X Director.

Nick Tomkinson, Senior Partner at Global Nuclear Security Partners, further added: “Maritime nuclear will only succeed when safety, security and safeguards are considered together from the start. This guidance document helps first movers align maritime and nuclear frameworks, apply goal-based approaches where prescriptive rules are absent, and build the confidence required by regulators, insurers and the public.”

Even though regulatory standards on a global scale have not yet been set up, nuclear power has gained more and more traction among corporations and organizations seeking ways to steady their compasses toward climate neutrality.

The United Kingdom, for instance, has already pledged to triple nuclear energy generation capacity at COP 28.

Within this context, Lloyd’s Register and Northstandard joined forces with technology player CORE POWER and released a report in February 2025 aimed at crafting a policy framework for the UK government to support the deployment of advanced small nuclear reactors on commercial ships and floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs).

In April, LR teamed up with Queensland-based ship design group Seatransport and Houston-headquartered engineering company Deployable Energy to develop nuclear power generation for a set of applications in the maritime industry.

As reported earlier, this initiative comprises the fitting of two to five MMRs of 1MWe capacity each onto a 73-meter amphibious vessel intended for emergency response and disaster relief duties. The solutions are anticipated to allow the ship to run for eight to ten years without the need for refueling.

More recently, namely in September 2025, companies from the UK and from the U.S. inked a ‘landmark’ agreement that is envisioned to turbocharge the expansion of nuclear power stations in both countries.