Americas News
Core Power Backs New US Bill to Advance Nuclear Shipping
Nuclear technology firm Core Power has thrown its support behind the newly reintroduced SHIPS for America Act - legislation designed to revitalise the US maritime and shipbuilding industries.
Core Power sees the bill as a pivotal step toward the adoption of nuclear propulsion in commercial shipping, the firm said in an emailed statement last week.
The SHIPS for America Act - short for Shipbuilding and Harbour Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security - was first introduced in December 2024 and is now gaining renewed momentum under the 2025 Congress.
Among its goals: strengthening American shipyards, creating maritime jobs, and restoring the US commercial shipping's competitiveness in global trade.
But what sets the 2025 version of the bill apart is its growing alignment with clean energy technologies.
The bill endorses advanced nuclear technologies for use in commercial shipping.
It explicitly supports the exploration of advanced nuclear technologies in commercial shipping, including the use of small modular reactors to enhance the operational capabilities of US coastal vessels.
The legislation also calls for a review of regulatory hurdles, citing ambiguities in existing rules and challenges related to integrating nuclear propulsion into the commercial fleet.
Mikal Bøe, CEO of Core Power, said the legislation could be a turning point.
"The technological edge it will advance through its support of US-flagged, large civil nuclear-powered ships will allow America to regain global maritime leadership," he added.
The endorsement comes as the US faces a widening gap with China, which now builds over 50% of the world's new ships.
Core Power believes that introducing civil nuclear propulsion into the commercial fleet would not only modernise American shipping but also draw significant investments toward shipbuilding and advanced energy innovation.
Senator Mark Kelly, one of the bill's key sponsors, emphasised its strategic importance: "The SHIPS for America Act is the most ambitious effort in a generation to revitalise the U.S. shipbuilding and commercial maritime industries and counter China's dominance over the oceans."
Bøe told Ship & Bunker last year that he expects the first orders of vessels equipped with nuclear reactors before the end of this decade.
