CORE POWER, a London-based developer of nuclear energy systems for maritime applications, has submitted a 38-page response to the US Maritime Administration's (MARAD) request for information on deploying small modular reactors (SMRs) in the marine transportation system. The submission, filed on August 5, outlines a proposed programme the company calls Project Pathfinder.

According to CORE POWER, Project Pathfinder would be a "time-limited federally supported and commercially led program to design, build and place into regular service a U.S.-flagged nuclear-powered commercial ship." If realized, it would mark the first US-flagged nuclear commercial vessel since the NS Savannah, a demonstrator cargo ship launched in 1959 and retired from active service in 1970, which never achieved commercial viability. The proposal comes as the maritime industry faces mounting pressure to decarbonize, with the International Maritime Organization having adopted a revised strategy in 2023 targeting net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by or around 2050.

MARAD's May RFI presented two possible timelines for deployment. CORE POWER recommends the seven-year accelerated route over the ten-year governance-first alternative, on the condition that governance and engineering efforts advance in parallel. The company argues that speed should be achieved through early decisions, a stable design, and pre-funded infrastructure — not by deferring critical questions around liability, emergency planning, fuel, workforce, or decommissioning. The nuclear maritime regulatory landscape remains complex, with no established US framework for licensing and operating civil nuclear-powered commercial ships, making parallel governance and engineering work a significant undertaking.

The response identifies nine key decisions needed to advance from concept to deployment. These include selecting a first commercial service and its associated ports within twelve months, with an initial international route operating between the United States and a prepared partner country.

Regarding reactor technology, CORE POWER sees well-understood light-water reactors as the leading near-term option, while molten-salt and other advanced systems would continue to be evaluated through parallel evidence gates. Light-water reactors benefit from decades of operational experience in naval vessels and land-based power plants, though adapting them for commercial maritime use would still require new regulatory approvals and port-entry agreements.

Notably, the firm argues that the first vessel contract should include firm or priced options for at least two additional ships, thereby creating an order book rather than producing a one-off demonstrator vessel. This approach directly contrasts with the NS Savannah model, which operated as a single demonstrator without a follow-on fleet.

Additional recommendations include developing a dedicated US nuclear ship lifecycle shipyard alongside the vessel programme, resolving liability and insurance matters before construction begins, leveraging federal finance tools such as the Title XI Federal Ship Financing Program, and initiating workforce development in year one.

The company states that the programme should ultimately be evaluated on the basis of safe ship availability, cargo moved, schedule reliability, and the cost and time required to order the next ship.

"Reactor output and a successful first voyage are necessary, but they are not sufficient," the response concludes.

Source: Ship & Bunker