International and national decarbonization targets to reduce or eliminate emissions from shipping by 2050 strike a serious request for charterers, ship owners, naval architects, shipyards, OEMs, and operators to change the approach to merchant trade operations. Unlike the historical economically driven transitions to steam—and later, diesel—propulsion systems, this energy transition is driven by regulations and a public push for environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions. Nuclear power has been used for decades to power Naval military vessels and arctic icebreakers to provide emissions-free, reliable, and high-density propulsion power. While Naval technologies won’t be directly implemented for commercial shipping, advanced nuclear reactor designers and regulators are preparing to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) that may be suitable for deployment in greater numbers than conventional land-based power plants, including for use on offshore nuclear power plants or for commercial ship propulsion. This means a new approach to integrating technology, but also new approaches to regulating its use involving maritime regulators such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Flag Administrations, Classification Societies, Coast Guards, Port States, and nuclear regulators such as the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IMO and IAEA are actively engaged in this topic. In 2024, MSC 108 received a draft gap analysis of the Code of Safety for Nuclear Merchant Ships (Resolution A.491(XII)) to propose the outdated regulations be updated to accommodate modern nuclear technology for commercial vessels (MSC 108/INF.21). The IAEA has hosted multiple international conferences related to nuclear operations and use cases in the marine environment, including the 2023 International Symposium on the Deployment of Floating Nuclear Power Plants – Benefits and Challenges, and the 2024 International Conference on Small Modular Reactors and their Applications, which included discussions of use cases for ships and offshore applications. In 2025, the IAEA is also planning to launch the Atomic Technology Licensed for Applications at Sea (ATLAS) project, which will work to establish a regulatory framework for the deployment of nuclear technology at sea. Nuclear power represents early-stage technologies that could provide a solution for large scale marine and offshore decarbonization. Design concepts must incorporate safety, security and safeguards by design, and work closely with regulators to streamline the approvals process. Lloyd’s Register is supporting this developing industrial transition by positioning as a nexus of maritime and nuclear participants to further develop the pathway to the safe adoption of nuclear power for maritime applications. In 2024, Lloyd’s Register released two insightful reports on nuclear power for ships within the “Fuel for Thought” series, including Fuel for Thought: Nuclear and Fuel for Thought: Nuclear for Yachts, as well as a webinar on the topic titled “Fuel for Thought: Nuclear in maritime, a zero-carbon solution for the future?” Lloyd’s Register sees a broader application of risk-informed assurance, Class, and Certification for nuclear systems compared to conventional maritime applications. This presentation will show a pathway for early adopters to help maritime and offshore decarbonize on a large scale.