MARAD issues a request for information on developing small modular nuclear reactors for use in ships built at American shipyards as part of broader efforts to revitalise the US maritime sector
In a move to support the revitalisation of the American shipbuilding industry, the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) has issued a request for information (RFI) to develop commercially viable small modular reactors (SMRs) for use in ships built at US shipyards.
The notice of the RFI, published by MARAD in the Federal Register on 7 May, seeks public comments on a “US-built scalable, repeatable, commercially viable, system-centric, small modular reactor (SMR) for deployment in the marine transportation system.” Public comments should be submitted no later than 5 August 2026 through this link on the Federal Register portal.
The RFI follows on to executive orders issued by President Trump early in his second term, calling for “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance” and “Unleashing American Energy”. The notice also follows the release of the Trump Administration’s Maritime Action Plan on 13 February 2026, which aims to inject new life into the US merchant marine and American shipbuilding industrial base.
An agency of the US Department of Transportation (US DOT), MARAD is tasked with promoting the US maritime industry, including American shipbuilding. The impetus behind the RFI was to partner “with industry experts and outside-the-box thinkers to develop a strong SMR model,” said US DOT Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “To secure this future for America’s shipbuilding industry, we need to innovate,” added Mr Duffy.
Enthusiasm and momentum for commercial maritime nuclear power have been growing in recent years as shipping grapples with viable pathways to maritime decarbonisation. The Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), for example, is drafting a work plan to develop and amend existing safety regulations related to nuclear power. The work plan will be submitted to the Maritime Safety Committee for approval during its 111th Session (MSC 111), 13-22 May 2026.
Several nuclear-powered commercial ship and floating nuclear power plant concepts have been released by American, European, and Asian ship designers and maritime engineers.
But implementing SMR technology faces enormous commercial, regulatory, technological, and safety hurdles. Multiple stakeholders would have to address gaps in international regulations, safety guidelines, workforce training, insurance, and liability.
When viewed through the current prism of geopolitical unrest and uncertainty, the picture gets even more complicated. American scientist George Moore, who worked for the International Atomic Energy Agency, raised a red flag in late 2024. Writing in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, he argued that the current enthusiasm “ignores nuclear safety and security concerns that make the development of nuclear-powered commercial ships a particularly bad idea in an era of international terrorism and piracy. And that’s not even to mention the cost of insuring them.”
Capital investment would be required for workforce development, training, and certification. New SMR production facilities would need to be developed at or within shipyards.
Nuclear-powered ships would require substantial capex but eliminate the need for bunkering, streamline logistics, and produce zero emissions.
Different commercial and operating models would need to be developed.
But MARAD Administrator, Stephen Carmel, said, “To successfully introduce SMRs, we must view this through a system-transition lens rather than just as a technology demonstration. We are seeking critical insights on how the government can help reduce systemic uncertainty, align regulatory structures, and enable the market conditions necessary for private capital and operators to scale these groundbreaking technologies.”
To support the development of these SMRs, MARAD will gather public input through forums, workshops, and technical exchanges, and collaborate with other US government agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Department of Energy.
