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While such business models are still and the maritime sector contributes References
developing, many nuclear technology more than 7% of the country’s GDP, 1. World Nuclear Association. “Nuclear-
companies are actively pursuing verti- while directly employing around Powered Ships.” Feb 2025, https://
world-nuclear.org/information-library/
cally integrated approaches to address 150,000 people . As the European Union non-power-nuclear-applications/
16
these requirements. This division of moves forward with aggressive decar- transport/nuclear-powered-ships.
responsibility, which mirrors practices bonisation targets, Greece has an 2. “NS SAVANNAH A HISTORIC MILESTONE.
ATOMIC ENERGY IN COMMERCIAL SHIPPING”
in the airline industry, may prove critical opportunity to combine its shipping Naftika Chronika, 15 Aug. 1959, Series
in reducing the perceived risk associ- leadership with a strategic investment Number 581/340, page. 15.
ated with nuclear propulsion. in nuclear energy. 3. IAEA Advanced Reactor Information
System (ARIS), https://aris.iaea.org/.
Taking advantage of this opportunity 4. Akademik Lomonosov, Floating Nuclear
Safety and regulation will require a national strategy tailored Power Plant, https://fnpp.info/.
Nuclear energy is among the safest to nuclear maritime applications. This 5. European Commission. FuelEU Maritime
Regulation (EU) 2023/1805, https://
sources of electricity. The nuclear includes the creation of a coherent eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1805/
industry has achieved this record licensing framework for both floating oj/eng.
through strict regulatory oversight, and shipboard reactors, a strengthen- 6. IEA. “Data Centres & Networks.” IEA,
11 July 2023, www.iea.org/energy-
advanced reactor design, and a long- ing of the Greek Atomic Energy Com- system/buildings/data-centres-and-
standing commitment to safety. Many mission’s institutional capacity, and data-transmission-networks.
new reactor designs rely on passive proactive participation in international 7. Beck, Chantal, et al. “The Future Is
Now: How Oil and Gas Companies Can
systems, which function without active forums where maritime nuclear regula- Decarbonise.” McKinsey & Company,
mechanical intervention and are thus tions are being shaped. McKinsey & Company, 7 Jan. 2020, www.
well-suited to dynamic marine environ- Furthermore, Greece must invest in mckinsey.com/industries/oil-and-gas/
our-insights/the-future-is-now-how-
ments. education and technical training to oil-and-gas-companies-can-decarbonize
Nonetheless, applying these technol- prepare a new generation of engineers, 8. HD KSOE, “Maritime SMR Concept,”
ogies to ships and offshore platforms operators, and regulators. The coun- Presentation, Houston Summit, Feb.
2025.
introduces new challenges. Emergency try’s shipyards, particularly those in 9. Ibid.
planning in densely populated port Skaramangas and Syros, are already 10. European Commission. Regulation (EU)
areas, for instance, requires careful undergoing revitalisation and could be 2022/1214, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/
eli/reg_del/2022/1214/oj/eng.
coordination, as do protocols for dealing integrated into global supply chains 11. IAEA. Nuclear Security Series No.
with piracy or malicious interference . for floating nuclear platforms . Mean- 20, https://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/
17
11
Publications/PDF/Pub1590_web.pdf.
Organisations such as the American while, port cities such as Piraeus and 12. ABS. “Requirements for Nuclear
Bureau of Shipping (ABS) have begun Heraklion, which are exploring renewa- Power Systems for Marine and
to address these challenges by pub- ble energy and shore power initiatives, Offshore Applications.” Oct 2024,
lishing regulatory guidance specific to could be ideal candidates for early https://ww2.eagle.org/content/dam/
eagle/rules-and-guides/current/
nuclear power systems for marine appli- deployment of floating reactors to sup- special_service/346-requirements-for-
cations . port port electrification. nuclear-power-systems-for-marine-
12
Regulatory developments are accelerat- As global shipping enters a new decar- and-offshore-applications-2024/346-
nuclear-power-systems-reqts-oct24.pdf.
ing on an international level. The Inter- bonised era, nuclear energy offers 13. IMO Resolution A.491(XII),
national Maritime Organisation (IMO) a mature, powerful, and sustainable 1981, https://wwwcdn.imo.org/
has initiated a long-overdue review of its solution for long-haul maritime trans- localresources/en/KnowledgeCentre/
IndexofIMOResolutions/
1981 Resolution A.491(XII) concerning port. While challenges remain, particu- AssemblyDocuments/A.491(12).pdf.
the safety of nuclear merchant ships . larly in regulatory alignment, public 14. NEMO. https://www.nemo.ngo/ and the
13
IAEA ATLAS Program.
Meanwhile, the International Atomic perception, and operational readiness, 15. Martinis, Dennis, et al. “Greek
Energy Agency (IAEA) has launched the technology is sound and is building Shipping: Success Factors and
the ATLAS initiative to support licens- momentum. Opportunities.” McKinsey, 30 July 2024.
ing and standards development for For Greece, the stakes are high, but so https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/
logistics/our-insights/greek-shipping-
floating and mobile nuclear reactors. is the potential reward. With thought- success-factors-and-opportunities
The newly established Nuclear Energy ful planning, institutional reform, and 16. Ibid.
for Maritime Organisation (NEMO) is strategic investments, the country 17. Varvitsiotis, Miltiadis, P.
Xenokostas, and A. Bayoumi.
bringing together stakeholders from can become a leader in nuclear mar- “Interviews.” Naftika Chronika, March
both the nuclear and maritime industry itime innovation. This would not only 2025, pp. 107–125.
to facilitate this transition . reinforce Greece’s longstanding mar-
14
itime leadership but also align it with
Greece’s strategic role the clean energy future that the global
Greece is exceptionally well-positioned economy demands. After all, great is
to lead in this emerging field. The coun- the power of the state that controls
try controls approximately 20% of the the sea. But greater still is the one that
global commercial shipping capacity , charts the sea’s future.
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