Open Solicitation
Notice ID: USCMI-ADVNUC-2026.1Secretariat Managed
Interactive Exercise to Derisk Regulatory Approval Pathways for Maritime Advanced Nuclear Applications
The U.S. Center for Maritime Innovation (USCMI) seeks participants for a project that characterizes the steps needed to reduce regulatory risk for small modular reactors (SMRs) in maritime applications, including vessel transportation and maritime power generation.
Total Budget
Up to $155KFacilitators, role players, travel
Format
Two-Day ExercisePlus preparatory meeting
Response Length
5 Pages MaxRoles, capabilities, costs
Deadline
Approval + 3 WeeksSubmissions due after project approval
The opportunity
USCMI is launching a series of projects on the application of SMRs to maritime uses, including vessel transportation and maritime power generation. This project focuses on characterizing the steps needed to reduce regulatory risk. It includes at least one facilitated, interactive stakeholder exercise in which participants walk through regulatory approval pathways using two scenarios: a nuclear-powered vessel and a floating nuclear power plant.
Participant roles include helping design and facilitate the stakeholder exercise, role-playing in the exercise as a key stakeholder, or both. Stakeholder roles include vessel owner-operator, local port authority and others. Funding is available for participants.
Why it matters
The U.S. maritime industry is driving toward greater competitiveness and energy independence. Nuclear propulsion, proven in naval applications, offers an efficient alternative to current approaches, with high energy density and operational endurance. Commercial adoption, however, remains constrained by regulatory uncertainty, public perception, technical integration and cost concerns.
Recent advances in SMRs, passive safety systems and international regulatory frameworks such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have renewed interest in nuclear-powered shipping. Maritime SMR applications face a complex, multi-layered regulatory landscape that spans national and international authorities, which creates overlapping or unclear jurisdictions and barriers to deployment. This project works through those requirements, characterizes the risks and develops a roadmap for government engagement. Expected outcomes include a feasibility report, regulatory framework recommendations and stakeholder engagement strategies.
Participant roles
Role 01
Set up and facilitate the exercise
Design, plan and execute at least one facilitated exercise to elicit information on regulatory requirements, interfaces, risks, roadmaps and potential improvements. The facilitator maximizes the contribution of participating stakeholders and ensures a robust understanding is generated.
Role 02
Participate as a role player
Work through example applications for an SMR-propelled vessel and a maritime SMR power plant. Participants are sought for each key role, including owner-operators, ports, technology providers and regulatory agencies, to provide insight into needs, processes and perspectives on the regulatory process.
Download the documents
How to apply
Submit a short response of no more than five pages that notes the roles of interest, documents demonstrated capabilities and estimates costs or rates for participation. A planning meeting follows roughly 12 weeks after project approval to develop scenario details and design the exercise.
- Note the role or roles of interest.
- Document your demonstrated capabilities.
- Provide estimated costs or rates for participation.
- Submit within three weeks of project approval.
Questions may be directed to info@uscmi.org. Additional project opportunities will be announced separately, and updates to this notice may be issued.
About USCMI
The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 directs the Secretary of Transportation, through a competitive cooperative agreement, to establish the U.S. Center for Maritime Innovation to support the study, research, development, assessment and deployment of emerging marine technologies and practices related to the maritime transportation system (MTS). USCMI is authorized under the Maritime Administration (MARAD) Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance (META) program and serves as a national resource for agencies that oversee and develop the MTS.