Can the UK secure a leading role in the emerging civil maritime nuclear industry?
A Policy Exchange report says a clear route, from concept to commercial operation, is currently absent from UK policy.
The report, Powering the Future, points out that civilian maritime nuclear technology is becoming increasingly commercially viable through both nuclear-powered ships and floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs), presenting interesting opportunities for the UK’s nuclear enterprise.
They are potential strategic enablers for the future of British shipping and for projecting British strategic influence in contested maritime spaces.
The report notes that nuclear-powered ships and FNPPs offer the prospect of continuous and resilient operation without emissions or conventional refuelling, greater resilience to fuel price and supply disruptions, and reliable and clean power for ports and industrial clusters, critical infrastructure, and contested maritime regions.
For the UK, alignment with the US to challenge Sino-Russian ambitions in maritime nuclear technologies also presents a strategic opportunity.
The report adds that the Arctic should be treated as a major geopolitical region for allied maritime nuclear cooperation.
Policy Exchange recommends the government expands the National Shipbuilding Office (NSO) to cover maritime nuclear technologies, publish a licensing roadmap, create a Maritime Nuclear Code, and develop separate but interoperable pathways for civilian nuclear-powered vessels and FNPPs.
The UK should also play a specialist industrial role within a supply chain shared with trusted partners.
Priority areas include reactor vessel forging capacity, nuclear fuel manufacturing, certified SMR assembly and digital lifecycle assurance. In time, it may also include nuclear-grade shipyard capabilities.
The nation could also leverage its leadership in commercial insurance to strengthen its economic position, while a coherent approach to maritime nuclear technologies could benefit the UK’s defence industry by using its expertise in through-life maintenance, fuel management and fuel disposal.
A coherent strategy would enable the UK to play a leading role in maritime nuclear technologies, using ship-based nuclear systems to create a strong strategic position in the race for energy security and deliver clean power at sea.
