Mikal Bøe, chairman and executive director of CORE Power, is stirring the pot in the maritime industry, arguing that the sector is steering itself in the wrong direction when it comes to alternative energy. He believes that the industry is fixated on green fuels like ammonia, which he sees as a step backwards. “Human progress is measured in how effectively we use energy. We have got to do more with less, not less with more, which is what we are doing with green fuels,” Bøe asserts. He advocates for a different path: nuclear power.
Bøe envisions a future where floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs) and civil nuclear propulsion for ships, powered by molten chloride fast reactor (MCFR) technology, become the norm. He contends that nuclear makes a lot of sense, especially when compared to green fuel options like ammonia. “The entire system is no larger than a big diesel engine,” he says, highlighting the compactness and efficiency of nuclear power. He points out that green ammonia, while promising, has significant drawbacks. “When it comes to green ammonia, there is very little energy, somewhere around 19 megajoules per kilo,” Bøe explains. In contrast, bunker fuel offers about 42 to 44 megajoules per kilo. This means ships would need to burn two to two-and-a-half times more ammonia to achieve the same energy output, leading to larger fuel tanks, more frequent bunkering, and reduced operational speeds.
Moreover, Bøe raises concerns about the environmental impact of ammonia combustion, which produces nitrous oxides. These by-products would require selective catalytic reduction to mitigate their environmental impact. “With ammonia, the industry is going backwards,” he argues. Nuclear power, on the other hand, offers a cleaner, more efficient alternative. “You’re using one gram of fuel per 25 MWh, and you can calculate that into horsepower and number of hours at sea, but that’s a gram of fuel. That means there’s only a gram of waste,” Bøe says.
CORE Power is already making strides in this direction, collaborating with industry giants like Westinghouse, Terra Power, Southern Company, Orano, and HD Hyundai Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering. They are exploring the use of eVinci microreactors for FNPPs and are actively engaging with the maritime industry to advance the conversation around nuclear power. Public perception of nuclear technology is shifting, partly due to efforts by Bøe and others. Tech giants like Amazon, Google, Meta, and X are already eyeing nuclear power as a carbon-free energy solution for their energy-hungry data centres.
The latest New Nuclear for Maritime Summit, held in Houston in February, saw Bøe unveil the Liberty Program. This ambitious plan aims to develop a US-anchored maritime civil nuclear programme, with the goal of commercialising FNPPs and merchant nuclear-powered ships by the mid-2030s. Bøe is optimistic about the timeline, predicting that the first commercial license could be issued by 2030, with prototype ships hitting the water by the mid-2030s.
Bøe’s vision challenges the status quo and could reshape the maritime industry’s approach to decarbonisation. If successful, his initiatives could lead to a significant reduction in the industry’s carbon footprint, while also addressing concerns about energy efficiency and operational costs. However, the path forward is not without challenges. Economic viability, training, certification, safety, regulatory hurdles, and commercial considerations all need to be addressed. But Bøe is undeterred, pushing for a future where nuclear power plays a central role in the maritime industry’s transition to zero-emissions. This bold stance is sure to spark debate and could catalyse a shift in how the industry approaches alternative energy.
