UK-based Lloyd’s Register (LR) is collaborating with Australian ship design group Seatransport and US-based Deployable Energy to develop nuclear power generation for different applications, including strategic response vessels for remote areas.
Seatransport Corporation is a Queensland-based ship design group focused on developing innovative maritime solutions. The company specializes in creating vessels tailored for specific operational needs, such as emergency response and disaster relief in remote areas. Deployable Energy, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a technology company developing nuclear energy solutions, with a focus on micro modular reactors (MMRs). It is designing a 1 MW Unity Nuclear Battery that fits in a 20-foot shipping container and which is a transportable, factory-built, plug-and-play power system.
LR is leading the collaborative programme, which will use two-to-five 1MWe MMRs to power a 73-metre amphibious vessel, designed for emergency response and disaster relief duties in remote areas. This will enable the vessel to operate for 8-10 years without refuelling. It will be able to feed power into the shore grid of affected areas and also whenever docked at port. LR will ensure quality, protocols and safety aspects are established and followed.
“As nuclear technology progresses towards maritime applications, LR is uniquely positioned to help develop these initiatives,” said Claudene Sharp-Patel, LR’s Global Technical Director. “We bring our extensive history in maritime and nuclear safety, providing a strong foundation for safe, insurable, and scalable nuclear-powered shipping. Our extensive experience with small modular reactors in the defence sector further demonstrates our commitment to safety and innovation.”
The concept was presented at LR’s recent Australia Advisory Committee Meeting where Remko Hottentot, LR Commercial Manager for Australasia signed the agreement with the Australian parties.
In July 2024, LR released a report, Fuel for Thought: Nuclear, that concluded nuclear power could benefit the maritime industry with emissions-free shipping and could extend life cycle of vessels simplify fuel and refuelling infrastructure development. However, this would first require regulation and addressing safety considerations.
In January 2024, LR signed a memorandum of understanding with international shipping company Zodiac Maritime, and South Korea’s HD KSOE and Kepco E&C to develop a project for the research and development of nuclear-propelled ship designs, including bulk carriers and container ships. The following August, Danish shipping group AP Moller-Maersk agreed to join LR and UK-based nuclear start-up Core Power, in a regulatory assessment study of possible nuclear-powered container shipping in Europe. In March 2025, LR said it planned to use generative AI for permitting capabilities to bridge the gap between terrestrial and maritime nuclear applications.
