Newcleo-led consortium to develop floating nuclear plant

The consortium - which includes classification society Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore and French engineering company ABMI Groupe - was selected under the call-for-projects "Supporting the decarbonisation of the French maritime sector" managed by French public sector investment bank Bpifrance.

The project, named n-Floating, aims to demonstrate the relevance and technical feasibility of an innovative floating nuclear power solution, consisting of a non-self-propelled floating unit housing multiple LFR-AS-200 reactors. The project has been awarded almost EUR1 million (USD1.2 million) in funding under the programme. Newcleo said work has already begun and is expected to run for approximately 18 months.

The LFR-AS-200 is a 200 MWe lead-cooled fast reactor designed to provide stable, low-carbon electricity and process heat for industrial users, including data centres, hydrogen production facilities, cement and steel manufacturers.

The initial phase of the n-Floating project will focus on conceptual studies for the nuclear barge, assessing its potential to deliver reliable, low-carbon and competitive energy across a range of applications. These include supplying isolated regions, ports and associated industrial hubs, and coastal areas, as well as supporting energy-intensive applications such as desalination and the production of low-carbon fuels.

The project will also define the subsequent development programme and roadmap towards potential industrial deployment by 2036, with the ambition to design and build the solution in France, contributing to the country's industrialisation and decarbonisation efforts.

"Designed with industrialisation and deployment at scale in mind, the concept will draw on the extensive experience and established capabilities of the maritime and offshore industries," Newcleo said. "It will leverage proven approaches developed by the oil and gas sector for the design, construction and operation of floating infrastructure for energy production, storage, liquefaction and regasification. By combining mature maritime capabilities with advanced nuclear technology, the project aims to develop a standardised, deployable and competitive solution for low-carbon energy generation at sea and in coastal locations."

"Maritime deployment of advanced reactors opens a broader and still largely unexplored market for nuclear energy," said Stefano Buono, CEO of Newcleo. "Floating nuclear offers an opportunity to bring reliable, low-carbon power to applications at sea and in coastal locations. Working with Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore and ABMI Groupe combines highly complementary nuclear, maritime and engineering expertise, and the support of Bpifrance provides important recognition to develop this project within a French industrial context with deep international credibility."

In the project, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore - part of the Bureau Veritas Group - will contribute its expertise in classification, risk assessment and certification, supporting the evaluation of safety, regulatory and technical considerations associated with the development of floating nuclear applications.

"Achieving large-scale decarbonisation will require energy solutions that are not only technically feasible, but also capable of being deployed safely, efficiently and at scale," said Christophe Chauviere, Marine & Offshore Technical & Operations Excellence Senior Vice-President at Bureau Veritas. "The n-Floating project provides an opportunity to evaluate how advanced nuclear technology can be combined with established maritime and offshore practices to support the development of a scalable and commercially viable floating energy solution for future industrial and maritime applications."

ABMI Groupe CEO François Laborde added: "N-Floating brings together complementary expertise to explore new pathways for low-carbon maritime energy solutions. While Newcleo brings its reactor technology and Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore provides maritime regulatory expertise, ABMI Groupe brings engineering and project delivery experience gained across complex industrial programmes in the maritime and nuclear sectors. Through this work, we aim to support the development of a solution designed and built in France, contributing to the country's industrial and energy transition ambitions."

Newcleo noted that the award extends its activities in maritime nuclear, building on existing collaborations with Fincantieri on nuclear-powered commercial vessels and with Saipem on offshore nuclear applications. In July 2023, Newcleo signed an agreement with Fincantieri - one of the largest shipbuilding companies in the world - and RINA - the inspection, certification, ship classification and consulting engineering multinational - to carry out together a feasibility study for nuclear applications to the shipping industry. In September 2024, the company signed a cooperation agreement with Italian multinational oilfield services company Saipem to study offshore applications of Newcleo's Lead-cooled fast reactor technology.