Ports Assess Nuclear Vessels and On-Site Power Options

Ports considering nuclear-powered commercial vessels face a practical planning task: assess how ships would enter, berth and leave, and how port teams would monitor and manage risks. A report from Lloyd’s Register (LR) and the British Ports Association (BPA) says existing port safety arrangements can provide a starting point, but nuclear technology would require additional procedures, equipment and training.

Published on October 22, 2026, Advanced Nuclear Technology Use Within Port Environments examines both nuclear propulsion for commercial ships and possible nuclear energy systems located in or near ports. Its central message is that preparation can begin before these technologies become routine, while decisions about investment and readiness need to reflect each port’s circumstances.

Operational planning for vessel calls

A port assessing visits by nuclear-powered vessels would need to review more than the berth itself. The report identifies entry and departure processes, berthing operations, security zones, radiation monitoring and emergency response plans as subjects for dedicated study. These processes connect ship movements with terminal operations and coordination among the organizations involved in a port call.

Port teams already manage hazardous cargo and maritime safety, and LR and BPA describe those systems as a foundation for further work. They do not remove the need for measures designed around nuclear technology. Operators would need to determine how existing procedures apply, where they need to be supplemented and which personnel would carry out each task.

Clear assignments of responsibility are another part of readiness. The report calls for roles to be defined among port operators, maritime and nuclear oversight bodies, and emergency response organizations. For operators, that means working through how a planned vessel visit would be coordinated, what information teams need and how response arrangements connect across the parties involved.

Training and drills also matter because procedures need to work in practice, not just on paper. The report’s preparation model includes personnel training, monitoring systems and emergency exercises as ports assess whether they have the capacity to handle nuclear-powered ships. These activities give port teams a way to examine their readiness against the specific facilities and operations under consideration.

Ports as potential energy users and producers

The report also examines nuclear systems that could supply energy to port operations. It names small modular reactors, microreactors and floating nuclear power units as possible options for electricity generation. Potential users include shore power infrastructure, cargo handling equipment, cold storage facilities and nearby industrial plants.

That range of uses makes the question broader than how a port would accommodate a vessel. A port evaluating on-site nuclear generation would need to consider which facilities might use the output and how the proposed system fits local energy needs. The report also identifies heat and electricity from nuclear energy as potential inputs for producing hydrogen and synthetic fuels.

These possibilities could change the role a port plays in its surrounding industrial area. LR’s Mark Tipping, Global Offshore Power-to-X Director, said advanced nuclear technologies could help ports develop from energy-consuming facilities into low-carbon energy and industrial centers. The report presents that prospect as one possible direction, rather than a fit for every location.

Rules, liability and coordination

Technical capability is only part of the adoption question. The report identifies international rule alignment, liability, insurance, emergency preparedness and public trust as issues that need attention. It also points out that much of the existing international maritime framework predates the advanced reactor technologies now being developed.

That gap makes coordination between maritime and nuclear safety frameworks a practical concern for ports. Operators evaluating a vessel call or an energy facility need clarity on how oversight will work and how safety responsibilities will be divided. The report does not present a single standard solution; it argues that these questions need to be addressed as the technology and its proposed uses develop.

A staged approach to readiness

LR and BPA propose a four-stage model that ports can adapt to their own conditions. First, a port builds basic knowledge of nuclear technologies and establishes contact with relevant institutions. The second stage moves into site-specific preparation: identifying suitable berths and facilities, training personnel, planning monitoring systems and conducting emergency drills.

In the third stage, a port would build the operational capacity to accept nuclear-powered vessels regularly. The fourth describes a possible longer-term shift toward becoming an energy center with nuclear generation facilities and related services. The stages give ports a sequence for considering readiness, from early learning through potential operations and energy development.

The report stresses that the last stages will not suit every port. Investment decisions need to reflect local needs and safety requirements, and the proposed model leaves room for ports to assess their own conditions. Richard Ballantyne, BPA chief executive, said nuclear technologies may not be appropriate for all ports, while arguing that the sector should prepare to evaluate possible future uses.

Rotterdam feasibility work offers a starting point

The report cites an earlier feasibility study of a nuclear-powered feeder container ship visiting the Port of Rotterdam. Lloyd’s Register, the Port of Rotterdam Authority, CORE POWER and A.P. Moller-Maersk took part. The study found that existing port safety systems could serve as a starting point for assessing such a call.

That assessment still identified work to be done on the framework for oversight, safety responsibilities and risks specific to nuclear technology. For other ports, the Rotterdam study offers an example of how existing systems can inform an initial assessment, while leaving local operators with their own site, procedure and coordination questions to resolve. The immediate takeaway is to build knowledge and assess needs in stages before committing to port-specific facilities or operating plans.

Source: SeaNews Türkiye