Long Beach and MARAD have signed a partnership to investigate small modular reactors for ports and vessels, a first for U.S. maritime operations.
Long Beach Signs Agreement with MARAD for Nuclear Maritime Use
Long Beach, one of the largest container ports in the United States, has signed a cooperation agreement with the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) to explore the use of small modular reactors in ports and commercial vessels. The agreement is non-binding; there is currently no decision on reactor construction, financing, or implementation timeline.
On July 22, Long Beach Port and MARAD, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, signed a memorandum of cooperation aimed at researching the development and feasibility of small modular reactor technology in maritime applications. Long Beach became the first U.S. port to establish an official partnership with MARAD on this matter.
The parties will examine how small modular reactors could be utilized in the future for commercial vessel propulsion systems, port electrical grids, microgrids, shore power infrastructure, and other maritime facilities. The scope of the work also includes necessary personnel training for nuclear technologies.
It is planned that Long Beach and MARAD will work with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Energy, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to develop operational protocols and safety standards for the acceptance, inspection, maintenance, and supply processes of nuclear vessels in ports.
However, the signed document is non-binding. It does not compel the parties to incur specific expenditures, purchase reactors, order nuclear vessels, or select a particular technology. There is also no announced definitive timeline for implementation.
Therefore, the headline 'A nuclear power plant is being established at Long Beach Port' misrepresents the current situation. What is happening now is an exploration of technical and legal preparations. No construction permits, environmental assessments, site selections, reactor licenses, or operating permits have been issued.
The use of nuclear energy in ports and commercial vessels raises significant issues such as reactor safety, waste management, physical security, threats of terrorism, liability in maritime accidents, insurance, training of crew members, and whether foreign ports will accept nuclear vessels.
Conversely, if the technology can be successfully developed, it may be possible for large vessels to operate for years without refueling and for ports to meet high electricity demands with a low-carbon source. The main significance of the Long Beach agreement lies in its potential to bring this discussion from academic reports to the collaborative table of port operators and federal regulators.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
