Washington-London pact targets nuclear role in commercial shipping
US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore the feasibility of using nuclear energy in the civil maritime sector.
IMAGE: US President Donald Trump hosts UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in the US. The White House
The partnership will focus on developing international regulatory standards for nuclear-powered shipping.
It will also assess the possibility of a dedicated shipping corridor between the two nations and the “strengthening of energy resilience for defense facilities,” UK-based nuclear tech firm Core Power said.
While the MoU does not specify which technologies will be prioritised, Core Power explained that the “civil maritime nuclear sector” covers both floating nuclear power plants and nuclear-powered commercial cargo ships.
Floating nuclear plants, such as the one currently under development by Core Power, can be built in shipyards and deployed offshore to supply “clean, constant electricity and industrial heat” directly to coastal regions.
Nuclear-powered cargo ships are typically conceptualised to be powered by small modular reactors installed onboard.
“This agreement between two leading nuclear and maritime nations recognises the economic benefit of civil maritime nuclear and that 2025 is the year it begins to go mainstream,” Mikal Bøe, chief executive of Core Power said.
By Konica Bhatt
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