According to a joint paper from the British Ports Association (BPA) and Lloyd’s Register (LR), ports should now start structured planning for advanced nuclear technology, viewing it as a long-term infrastructure and operating-model matter rather than a new marine fuel.
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The report, Advanced Nuclear Technology Use Within Port Environments, describes how nuclear power could help ports meet rising demand for dependable low-carbon energy while opening fresh maritime and industrial possibilities. Applications cited include nuclear-powered vessel calls, floating or transportable nuclear power units, and land-based small modular reactors or microreactors supplying port operations and fuel production.
The most significant obstacles are not purely technical, the report finds. Regulatory alignment, governance, emergency preparedness, liability, insurance, workforce capability and public confidence will all prove critical to safe and commercially viable deployment.
Building on existing safety frameworks
Rather than establishing a separate regime, ports should fold nuclear scenarios into their existing marine safety-management systems, the paper urges. Current practices for dangerous goods, hazardous cargoes, security zones and high-consequence operations offer a solid base, but will require added nuclear-specific evidence, competence, monitoring and regulatory interfaces.
The opportunity for ports reaches beyond hosting nuclear-powered vessels. Advanced reactors could supply baseload electricity for port estates, shore power, cargo-handling equipment, cold storage and neighbouring industry, plus heat and electricity for hydrogen and synthetic fuel output. Ports might also build high-value capabilities in shipbuilding, reactor-module integration, inspection, maintenance, specialist logistics and decommissioning.
Tiered readiness and phased approach
A tiered readiness model proposed in the paper would let each port choose a proportionate level of ambition: from nuclear-aware, with the ability to assess enquiries and engage authorities, through nuclear-ready and nuclear-enabled, to ultimately operating as a nuclear energy hub. Suggested no-regret actions include mapping stakeholders, assessing future energy demand and grid constraints, engaging regulators early and preparing clear, evidence-led communications for workforces and local communities.
The report also outlines a phased pathway running from initial orientation and feasibility assessment through to development and delivery. This is intended to help ports gather evidence and confidence before committing major capital, acknowledging that advanced nuclear will not suit every location.
Regulatory gaps and collaboration
International regulation remains a central difficulty. Today’s advanced reactor designs post-date existing maritime nuclear frameworks, and nuclear and maritime safety regimes are often poorly integrated. The paper stresses that ports, governments, regulators, classification societies, insurers and technology developers must work together to clarify responsibilities and shape workable national and international approaches.
Recent port-focused work, including an assessment of a nuclear-powered feeder containership calling at the Port of Rotterdam, suggests nuclear ship calls can be handled through safety themes ports already know, provided nuclear-specific requirements are built in systematically.
Mark Tipping, Global Offshore Power-to-X Director at Lloyd’s Register, said advanced nuclear could transform ports from energy consumers into resilient, low-carbon energy and industrial hubs, though seizing that opportunity will depend on more than technology. He said ports need to further assess governance, proportionate assurance and early collaboration across the maritime and nuclear sectors, and that starting now lets port leaders build the evidence, capability and public confidence needed for informed decisions as the market develops.
Richard Ballantyne, Chief Executive at the BPA, said the opportunities for ports go beyond receiving a nuclear-powered ship, and that ports are already planning for significant changes in energy demand, infrastructure and the vessels they serve. He noted advanced nuclear may not suit every port, but the sector must understand the potential applications and start asking the right questions early.
The BPA and LR conclude that preparation should come before procurement. Ports that begin proportionate planning now will be better positioned to make informed investment decisions, maintain public confidence and influence the regulatory and commercial frameworks shaping nuclear’s role in the next generation of maritime infrastructure, Lloyd’s Register said.