Maersk Joins with LR and CORE to Study Nuclear-Powered Container Shipping
Maersk is joining in with a collaboration between Lloyd’s Register and CORE Power that could provide the long-term pathway for nuclear-powered commercial shipping. Using a feeder containership operating in a European port, the collaboration will determine the safety and regulatory considerations and necessary framework for nuclear-powered commercial shipping based on a fourth-generation nuclear reactor. “The initiation of this joint study marks the beginning of an exciting journey towards unlocking the potential of nuclear power in the maritime industry, paving the way for emissions-free operations, more agile service networks, and greater efficiency through the supply chain,” said Nick Brown, CEO of Lloyd’s Register. Lloyd’s Register has been at the forefront of the ongoing discussion on the potential of nuclear power in the future of commercial shipping. There was excitement about the potential for nuclear power in the 1950s with the United States leading the way by developing the cargo-passenger ship NS Savannah as a prototype to demonstrate the potential. Then as now, however, public perception and fears of nuclear power held back the development as well as rumored opposition from the U.S. Navy that feared commercial initiatives might interfere with its developing nuclear…