CORE POWER Launches Liberty Civilian Naval Nuclear Program at Houston Summit
CORE POWER, a leading global developer of marine nuclear technology, has announced the development of a U.S. civilian marine nuclear program that anticipates commercial floating nuclear power by the mid-2030s.
The program, called Project Liberty, is designed to lay the foundation for the use of nuclear energy in the civilian maritime sector. The project will include modular construction of advanced fission technology and the establishment of the regulatory framework and supply chain required to deploy the technology globally.
On February 12, CORE POWER CEO Mikal Bui delivered a keynote address at the CORE POWER Summit in Houston, Texas, outlining the company’s transformational vision. More than 230 delegates attended the conference to hear from multiple speakers exploring the many possible uses of nuclear energy in the maritime sector.
“Project Liberty will open up a $2.6 trillion floating energy market, and the nuclear power plants will be built in shipyards on time and on budget,” added Bui. With 65% of economic activity occurring in coastal areas, this will allow nuclear energy to enter new markets.
The first part of the Liberty program will involve the mass production of floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs). The experience gained from the implementation of large-scale FNPPs will pave the way for the second part of the program, which includes the development of nuclear propulsion systems for civilian ships.
The FNPPs will be produced on modular production lines at shipyards, leveraging existing shipbuilding operations and skilled labor. They will be manufactured in the form of powerboats that can be moored in ports and coastal areas, as well as higher capacity power generation units that can be moored at sea.
A batch of FNPPs can be mass-produced and towed to customer sites without complex site preparation, while a central shipyard is responsible for operation, maintenance, fueling and waste management.
Mass production is achieved because the Liberty program will use advanced nuclear technologies such as molten salt reactors. Compared to traditional nuclear technologies, these next-generation reactors are inherently safe and passive, and operate at pressures close to atmospheric pressure, eliminating the need for large emergency exclusion zones and greatly improving the insurability of both FNPPs and nuclear-powered commercial ships.
Advanced nuclear technology is also much more efficient than conventional nuclear propulsion, allowing ships to operate using only one fuel over their entire service life while reducing the amount of waste produced.
As a result, nuclear-powered ships will have significantly increased speed, efficiency and cargo capacity. CORE POWER works with many advanced nuclear technology developers to develop reactors and ensure they are optimized for marine use.
Liberty plans to open orders for its floating nuclear power plant (FNPP) in 2028 and achieve full commercialization by the middle of the next decade. In presenting the first phase of CORE POWER’s 2030 roadmap, Boy said that in addition to design, the company will focus on creating the necessary licensing, insurance and export control frameworks.
The second phase will focus on supply chain and workforce development. The third phase will be dedicated to the development of business process models and the establishment of a manufacturing base. At the same time, CORE POWER will work with the International Maritime Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency on the Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear-Powered Ships to help set international safety standards.
The plan will also include the establishment of a strong regulatory framework required for the operation of floating nuclear power plants and (subsequently) civilian nuclear-powered ships. This will also include the supply chain (such as fuel and trained personnel) that enables advanced nuclear reactors to operate.
The program’s name and inspiration come from the World War II Liberty ships, which were quickly mass-produced in the United States and helped the Allies win the Battle of the Atlantic. The nature of the anchor is also prominent.
