IAEA Launches ATLAS as Countries Explore Nuclear Power for Shipping and Offshore Energy

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and U.S. Secretary of Energy Christopher Wright at the ATLAS Ministerial Launch Event

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today launched ATLAS - Atomic Technologies Licensed for Applications at Sea - a global initiative to support the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear power in civilian shipping and floating nuclear power plants.

Growing interest in nuclear-powered ships and floating nuclear power plants has pointed to the need for closer cooperation between the nuclear and maritime communities. Hosted by the United States and held over two days in Washington, D.C., the International High-level Forum on the ATLAS Launch brings together around 600 participants from over 50 countries, as well as international organizations, industry leaders, the maritime sector and port authorities, marking the first globally coordinated effort to connect the nuclear and maritime sectors.

Maritime transport carries around 80% of global trade. As demand for seaborne trade continues to grow by around 2% annually, so does the need for reliable long-distance transport solutions that enhance energy security. Nuclear power, including through advanced and innovative reactor technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs), offers high energy density and long endurance, which could allow ships to operate for extended periods without refuelling. Floating nuclear power plants could provide reliable energy to coastal and remote communities, as well as to offshore industries where conventional infrastructure is limited.

Advances in reactor design, fuel technology and maritime engineering mean some nuclear maritime designs could be ready for deployment as early as the 2030s. These technologies could power a wide range of uses: from large vessels and such as container ships, bulk carriers, tankers, cruise ships, icebreakers and offshore support vessels, to providing reliable electricity, heat, desalination and emergency power for remote communities, ports, disaster response and offshore industries.

Opening today's event, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi described nuclear power as a potential turning point for the maritime sector.

"ATLAS is launching at precisely the right time," said Director General Grossi. "By bringing together the nuclear and maritime sectors, we have the opportunity to shape the future of two crucial industries - energy and shipping - and to build global confidence in the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technology at sea."

In a Joint Statement issued today, 25 countries committed to ATLAS, calling it "the first step towards revolutionizing the civil nuclear maritime industry".

"As we look to the future, it is essential that the international nuclear and maritime communities collaborate to ensure the safe and secure deployment of these technologies, and to enhance the effective and efficient implementation of safeguards for civil nuclear applications at sea," the Joint Statement read.

United States Secretary of Energy Chris Wright spoke at the opening session. "The work accomplished at this Ministerial brings us closer to turning the promise of offshore nuclear energy and nuclear-powered shipping into commercial reality," said Secretary Wright. "By bringing governments, regulators, and industry together to tackle the practical barriers to deployment, ATLAS complements President Trump's efforts to restore American nuclear leadership, expands opportunities for U.S. innovation, and brings reliable nuclear energy to new markets around the world. The United States is committed to carrying this momentum forward with the IAEA and our international partners."

At the event, government ministers and officials from around the world are delivering national statements on the potential role of nuclear technology at sea in the coming years. The event will also feature three panel sessions focusing on the real-world demand for nuclear maritime applications, the challenges that must be addressed and the practical actions, partnerships, infrastructure and international collaboration needed to enable the deployment of nuclear maritime technologies.

Following the launch of ATLAS, the IAEA will begin its implementation through six expert Project Groups working collectively towards an integrated ATLAS framework. These groups - comprised of country, industry, and other stakeholder representatives - will begin practical work this year to address the safety, security, safeguards and regulatory aspects, whilst taking account of deployment scenarios and other attributes of nuclear-powered shipping and floating nuclear power plants.

At a related industry event hosted by the US on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., nuclear and maritime companies showcased advances that point to the new era for civil nuclear applications at sea.

On the second day, delegates will travel from Washington, D.C. to the Port of Baltimore for a high-level visit to the NS Savannah, the world's first civil nuclear-powered merchant ship. Its reactor began operating in 1962, and more than six decades later, ATLAS is bringing countries together to tackle the questions now facing a new generation of nuclear maritime technology: how nuclear power can be used at sea, what rules are needed, and how safety, security and safeguards can be built in from the outset.

The initiative builds on the IAEA's decades-long role in supporting the peaceful use of nuclear technology.