IAEA Rallies 25 Nations Behind Nuclear Shipping Push

IAEA Initiative Gains 25-Country Backing

The International Atomic Energy Agency has launched a global initiative aimed at advancing nuclear-powered shipping, with 25 countries now signed on to support the effort, according to a report by Ship & Bunker.

The initiative will move into practical work through six expert groups, each tasked with examining a distinct area: safety, security, safeguards and regulation among them. The structure suggests the IAEA intends to address the technical and legal groundwork needed before nuclear propulsion could see wider use in commercial shipping.

IAEA Director General’s Remarks

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the IAEA, framed the initiative as a bridge between two sectors that have historically operated separately. He said the effort offers “the opportunity to shape the future of two crucial industries — energy and shipping,” while working to “build global confidence in the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technology at sea.”

What It Means for the Industry

Nuclear propulsion has long been discussed as a potential decarbonization pathway for shipping, given its ability to operate without carbon emissions during operation. However, questions around safety regulation, port access, insurance, and public acceptance have kept the technology largely outside mainstream commercial fleets to date.

The formation of dedicated expert groups signals that the IAEA and its partner countries see these regulatory and safety questions as the immediate priority rather than commercial deployment timelines. The source text does not specify which 25 countries have joined, nor does it detail timelines for the expert groups’ work or any specific regulatory outputs expected.

For ship owners and technical managers tracking alternative propulsion options, the initiative represents an early-stage but notable signal that nuclear power is being taken up as a formal subject of international maritime and nuclear regulatory cooperation, rather than remaining a purely theoretical proposition. Further details on the initiative’s scope, participating nations, and expected milestones were not included in the available reporting.

Apeks view — This is a regulatory groundwork exercise, not a deployment roadmap. Six expert groups on safety, security and safeguards signal that the hard questions — insurance, port access, public acceptance — are being tackled methodically rather than assumed away. For owners and technical managers, the takeaway is patience: nuclear propulsion remains a long-horizon option worth monitoring, but decisions should wait for concrete regulatory outputs, not aspirational statements from an early-stage international initiative.