The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, confirmed that nuclear propulsion is being actively considered as a future marine fuel solution within the organisation’s Marine Environmental Protection Committee’s (MEPC) processes.
According to CorePower, the Secretary-General emphasised that the international organisation maintains a technology-agnostic stance, recognising that different countries will pursue various renewable solutions based on their specific opportunities and capabilities.
Nuclear is very much on the table. It’s been included in the life cycle assessments for future analysis,
… the IMO chief stated during a compelling exchange at the 2024 Global Maritime Forum in Japan, where industry leaders discussed the challenges of maritime decarbonisation.
Meanwhile, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines’s President and CEO, Takeshi Hashimoto, acknowledged that nuclear power, alongside two or three other solutions, will likely be necessary to achieve a truly net-zero shipping industry, CorePower informs.
Whilst the regulatory framework for maritime nuclear propulsion requires further development, the IMO Secretary-General clarified that existing processes are designed to facilitate rather than hinder technological advancement. Key considerations include determining whether nuclear energy will be generated onboard or supplied from shore-based facilities, and how these systems might interact.
The IMO’s inclusion of nuclear power in life cycle assessments represents a crucial step forward in establishing the regulatory groundwork for nuclear-powered commercial vessels, reinforcing the technology’s position as a serious contender in shipping’s race to zero emissions, CorePower concludes.
