As the maritime sector looks toward low-carbon propulsion solutions, one development in 2024 has already started to reshape the conversation – the creation of the Nuclear Energy Maritime Organisation (NEMO).

To some this may be relatively old news, but the fact that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) came together to focus on the creation of NEMO in 2024 is already having a significant impact on the maritime industry.

NEMO, which will contribute specialist expertise, technical know-how and logistical support to assist the integration of nuclear technologies in the marine and offshore industries, now has consultative status at the IMO and has also received an official invitation to participate in the General Conference of the IAEA.

Partnership with the ATLAS Programme

Perhaps the most meaningful effect of NEMO’s founding to date is that it is expected to actively engage with the ‘Atomic Technologies Licensed for Applications at Sea’ (ATLAS) programme of the IAEA, launched in August 2024.

ATLAS will address the challenges and opportunities that nuclear energy presents to the global maritime community, and importantly, help develop international regulatory frameworks for the use of nuclear energy at sea.

Towards a New Era of Sustainable Propulsion

Together, NEMO and ATLAS will separately and collectively contribute to the introduction of nuclear energy as a mainstream, sustainable propulsion method in the marine industry.

The creation of NEMO marks a significant step in aligning nuclear expertise with maritime innovation. As collaboration between the IMO, IAEA, and other stakeholders continues, nuclear power is increasingly being viewed not as a distant concept but as a practical and sustainable component of the maritime future.

Reina Maria van Pallandt

Reina Maria van Pallandt is a senior disputes resolution lawyer with dual British and Dutch nationality. After obtaining an LLB Honors degree in Dutch Law and Public International Law at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), Reina Maria studied International Law of the Sea at London School of Economics (LSE).

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