New association for maritime nuclear created

A global group of companies with a common interest in developing nuclear energy solutions for the maritime sector have launched Nuclear Energy Maritime Organization (NEMO).

To be headquartered in London, NEMO will officially start activities in the second quarter of 2024.

By bringing together stakeholders with relevant expertise, NEMO aims to assist nuclear and maritime regulators in the development of appropriate standards and rules for the deployment, operation and decommissioning of floating nuclear power.

As explained, NEMO will provide expert guidance and promote the ‘highest’ safety, security, and environmental standards in the development of this nascent industrial sector, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and advocacy among its members and stakeholders.

Advanced nuclear technologies deployed at sea can reduce environmental impact, enhance social responsibility, and increase economic competitiveness. NEMO aims to provide a platform for its members to network and facilitate a functional connection between regulators to foster development and exchange best practices.

NEMO’s inaugural members are South Korean shipbuilder HD KSOE, the UK-based classification society Lloyd’s Register, American manufacturing and engineering company BWXT Advanced Technologies, American nuclear innovation company TerraPower, Japanese shipbuilder and ship repairer Onomichi Dockyard, American nuclear reactor designer and vendor Westinghouse Electric Company, Anglo-American maritime nuclear innovation company CORE POWER (UK), Fincantieri subsidiary VARD Group, French classification society Bureau Veritas, Italian classification society RINA, and Korean developer, consultant serving nuclear supply chain JEIL Partners.

“We are very excited to launch NEMO, which we believe will be a valuable and influential voice for floating nuclear power. We invite all stakeholders who share our vision and values to join us and become part of this dynamic and forward-looking alliance,” Mamdouh el-Shanawany, NEMOs inaugural chairman, former head of the IAEA Safety Assessment Section and Global Nuclear Director at Lloyd’s Register, commented.

Membership in NEMO is open to companies with a bona-fide link to the floating nuclear power segment and who meet the organization’s membership criteria, which include a commitment to sustainability, innovation, and excellence.

The organization plans to hold regular events, workshops, webinars, and publications for its members and the wider public. The organization also intends to collaborate with other industry associations, government bodies, academic institutions, and civil society organizations to advance the cause of floating nuclear power.

In related news, Korean industry majors, led by shipping companies HMM and Sinokor, forged an alliance last year to develop nuclear-powered ships.

Under the agreement, the partners aim to develop and demonstrate how small modular nuclear reactors can be used to propel ships. The project will also investigate the development of relevant marine system interface and propulsion technology as well as the production of hydrogen using molten salt reactors (MSR).

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