UK-based Lloyd’s Register (LR) has launched the Maritime Nuclear Consortium “to set the highest international standards for safe, secure and commercially viable nuclear-powered ships”. The group unites leading expertise from the nuclear, maritime, insurance and regulatory sectors.
According to LR, the next generation of advanced modular reactors (AMRs) will allow ships to sail for years without refuelling, with zero carbon emissions and rigorous safety built in from the start. With no need to trade efficiency for emissions standards, ships can run at full design speed instead of slow steaming.
The core membership includes:
- Lloyd’s Register (Lead, Safety & Secretariat)
- Rolls-Royce (Reactor Design)
- Babcock International Group (Ship Design, Construction and Support)
- Global Nuclear Security Partners (Security & Safeguards) -GNSP
- Stephenson Harwood (Legal & Regulatory)
- NorthStandard (Insurance)
Lloyds argues that the UK has a long history of leading maritime innovation and is now in a strong position to support the safe adoption of maritime nuclear power. “With trusted regulators, world-class engineering and shipbuilding, and decades of naval nuclear experience, it has the credibility to shape international standards from the start. From London’s capital markets to northern engineering hubs, the UK also offers a complete ecosystem to support nuclear shipping – covering design, regulation, finance and insurance.
However, the window for UK leadership is narrowing. “Other nations are moving quickly to set their own standards and develop technology. Without coordinated UK action, the chance to define the rules, create high-skilled jobs and anchor a global supply chain could be lost to faster competitors. Acting now would give the UK first-mover advantage, and ensure those standards, jobs and supply chains are built here.
The consortium’s initial programme will:
- Demonstrate a Statement of Design Acceptability (SODA) for a generic, site-licensed advanced modular reactor;
- Develop a class certification framework integrating nuclear and maritime regulation;
- Define a security and safeguards architecture to meet regulatory requirements;
- Establish insurability pathways for nuclear-powered vessels;
- Publish guidance for industry and government to accelerate safe adoption.
According to Lloyd’s CEO Nick Brown, “Decarbonisation demands cleaner power, higher standards and a duty to the generations that follow. Used safely in naval fleets for decades, the next generation of advanced modular reactors brings tougher safeguards and the chance to bring nuclear power into everyday commercial shipping. If the UK leads on global standards, nuclear will mean more than zero-carbon ships. It will mean work in British shipyards, new business in the City, and lasting jobs for those who build, insure and sail the world’s fleet.”
Jake Thompson, Director, Rolls-Royce Advanced Modular Reactors, said: “Energy transition is a growing priority across multiple industries and nuclear is increasingly seen as part of the solution. We believe that the multi-sector collaboration from the Nuclear Maritime Consortium is a critical first step in the UK leading the development of the future international code for nuclear-powered vessels.”
Mike Salthouse, Head of External Affairs at NorthStandard, said: “Insurance plays a critical role managing the risks associated with, and fostering confidence in, new technologies. At the heart of that confidence are people…. With the right people applying the right standards and joined up regulation, maritime nuclear power can become a transformative force – advancing decarbonisation, supporting commercial viability, and guiding the shipping industry towards net-zero emissions.”
Nick Tomkinson, Senior Partner at GNSP, said: “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.”
Kirsti Massie, Partner at Stephenson Harwood, noted: “Nuclear power has the potential to turbo-charge the UK’s energy transition and efforts to reduce carbon emissions. By bringing this Consortium together the UK has the opportunity to turn that potential into progress and set the global standards that can be used for generations to come.”
Maria Taboada, Babcock’s Marine Engineering Director, said: “The transition to nuclear-powered shipping is not just as a technological advancement, but a strategic move to secure the UK’s maritime leadership.”
More than 700 marine nuclear reactors are in operation in naval fleets worldwide. The challenge is to adapt that technology for commercial use. By shaping rules for emerging reactor designs, the UK aims to position itself as a leading developer of maritime nuclear power and contribute to the net zero ocean economy.
However, this is not the only initiative developing regulatory and other guidance for nuclear shipping. In August 2024, the IAEA gave details of a new project, Atomic Technology Licensed for Applications at Sea (ATLAS), which was launched in 2025. ATLAS aims to establish a robust framework for the safe and secure deployment of peaceful civil nuclear applications at sea, drawing upon well-established IAEA standards and guidance for nuclear safety, security, and safeguards.
One key document currently available for reference is the International Maritime Organisation’s IMO’s International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the most recent version of which was adopted in 1974 and entered into force in 1980. However, the 1974 Convention has been updated and amended on numerous occasions since. It lays down regulations for the safe construction, operation and maintenance of passenger and cargo ships. It also specifies the regulations for the equipment to be used on the ship.
The IMO is currently developing and revising regulations for nuclear-powered shipping, with major steps taken in 2025 to update outdated rules to accommodate modern reactor designs and the potential of nuclear propulsion for decarbonisation, tasking its Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC) to begin work in January 2026. This revision aims to create a modern, technology-neutral framework, updating the existing 1981 Code of Safety for Nuclear Merchant Ships and relevant SOLAS Convention sections to address new technologies and IAEA standards.
Then there is a whole body of legislation and regulations already developed and implemented in Russia which covers nuclear powered icebreakers and small floating NPPs. Russia has also a unique class of specialised ships and floating facilities to service nuclear shipping and to support decommissioning and disposal, all of which are covered by special regulations.
A comprehensive regulatory framework has been drawn up. This involved two main actors – regulator Rostekhnadzor and Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS). The most important document was Federal Law №170 On the Use of Atomic Energy. In addition, Rostekhnadzor was responsible for a huge number of Federal Rules and Regulations related to shipping. The RMRS has also developed documentation related to nuclear shipping, including, Rules for the Classification and Construction of Nuclear Ships and Floating Facilities.
Russia has ratified key international documents such as The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and SOLAS and these are part of the Russian legislative framework. Internal documents, such as federal rules and regulations and rules for classification are based on them.
