Regulations for nuclear ships on the agenda at IMO in June meeting

Momentum is building for modernising the IMO’s decades-old regulatory framework for nuclear merchant ships, which will be on the agenda at the 110th session of the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 110) in June.

Several proposals are calling for a revision of the Code of Safety for Nuclear Merchant Ships (resolution A.491(XII)), which as adopted in 1981 as a supplement to SOLAS Chapter VIII -Nuclear ships. The Code provides detailed guidance to Administrations on the internationally accepted safety standards for the design, construction, operation, maintenance, inspection, salvage, and disposal of nuclear merchant ships.

Nuclear power has been discussed alongside various energy sources in the MSC Correspondence Group on Development of a Safety Regulatory Framework to Support the Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships Using New Technologies and Alternative Fuels (CG on GHG Safety).

The CG on GHG Safety, which was open to all IMO Member States and NGOs in consultative status, agreed that the Code, which is currently limited to Pressurised Water Reactor technology, should be updated to adequately address recent advances in new nuclear technologies by ensuring a technology neutral, goal-based approach. Updates are also needed to reflect current IAEA standards.

The CG on GHG Safety also touched upon potential amendments to SOLAS Chapter VIII, and it was suggested that a review of other SOLAS Chapters will be needed to identify how they relate to nuclear-powered ships.

In addition to the findings of the CG on GHG Safety, several Member States and NGOs have put forward proposals urging MSC to give the formal go-ahead for relevant sub-committees to start work on revision the Code of Safety for Nuclear Merchant Ships (resolution A.491(XII)). One Member State has proposed to expand the application of the Code to non-self-propelled floating nuclear power plants.

There will be plenty to discuss at MSC 110 relating to the findings of the CG on GHG Safety and other proposals. If there is sufficient support from Member States at MSC 110, revision of the Code could get underway early next year.

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