Interview with Virginia Crosbie
Managing Director, NEMO
The global maritime sector is entering a structural transition shaped by three major forces.
First, there is regulatory pressure through the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Net Zero Framework which is creating economic signals for low and zero carbon fuels.
Second, energy security and resilience now sit alongside decarbonization as strategic priorities.
And third, there is growing recognition that no single solution will decarbonize shipping. A portfolio approach is emerging.
Where does nuclear energy slot into this transition?
Nuclear fits where energy density, endurance and reliability matter most. It offers zero operational emissions and freedom from fuel price volatility.
Civilian nuclear propulsion is not new. Vessels such as the NS Savannah, the world’s first commercial nuclear-powered merchant ship, demonstrated its feasibility decades ago. What is new is the climate imperative and the development of advanced reactors and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) with enhanced passive safety.
The central question is no longer technical feasibility, but whether the enabling governance frameworks can evolve in time.
Maritime nuclear will only move forward if nuclear safety, maritime regulation, liability, insurance and port governance evolve together.
Three conditions are essential:
Public confidence depends on credible, independent oversight and international cooperation. Deployment must be incremental, evidence-based and transparent.
NEMO’s role, as a consultative NGO at both the IMO and IAEA, is to convene regulators, classification societies, insurers, ports and industry to close practical gaps before first deployment.
A long-term solution, a scalable pillar, or a niche option?
In the near term, nuclear is most likely to serve specific segments such as large vessels on fixed routes, ice-class operations and energy intensive offshore activities.
Over the longer term, if regulatory clarity and financing confidence mature, nuclear could become a scalable pillar for parts of the fleet where high energy density and endurance are decisive advantages.
It is not a universal solution. But neither is any other pathway. Nuclear’s role is likely to be complementary within a diversified decarbonization portfolio.
In addition, SMRs and next generation systems are set to take the potential deployment of nuclear energy in the maritime sphere beyond vessel propulsion alone, opening up broader opportunities.
For instance, they could also power large ocean going vessels, ice-class shipping, offshore platforms, remote energy hubs and port infrastructure requiring firm, low carbon baseload power.
Ports are increasingly electrified industrial ecosystems. Shore power, hydrogen production and digitalisation all increase demand for reliable clean power.
SMRs could provide stable long term energy independent of weather conditions, strengthening resilience while reducing emissions.
Future priorities
Going forward, NEMO has the following targeted goals for the near and medium term, which demonstrate the priorities for nuclear energy’s maritime adoption:
2026
2027
2030
NEMO’s mission is to enable the safe, secure, insurable and internationally workable use of nuclear energy in the maritime sector.
Partnerships with industry stakeholders are crucial
Classification societies are critical to translating regulatory intent into workable technical standards.
Organisations such as RINA, a NEMO member, alongside other class societies within our membership, play an essential role in developing risk assessment methodologies, design codes, survey regimes and assurance mechanisms.
They bridge theory and practice. Their expertise helps ensure safety frameworks are rigorous, internationally harmonised and insurable in real-world maritime operations.
Partnership across governments, regulators, class, insurers and research institutions is indispensable. No single actor can create a viable framework alone.
Virginia Crosbie is Managing Director of the Nuclear Energy Maritime Organization, NEMO, an international NGO with consultative status at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
She brings together regulators, ports, insurers, shipowners and the nuclear sector to make maritime nuclear energy safe, secure and insurable in practice.
A former UK Member of Parliament, she chaired the All Party Parliamentary Group on Small Modular Reactors and has championed credible, evidence-led clean energy for hard-to-abate sectors.
She serves as Chair of Supporters of Nuclear Energy and as a Board Director of the Nuclear Institute. Her focus is on building confidence through clear governance and international collaboration so innovation can move from ambition to responsible delivery.
