Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR)

Explore PWR readiness levels

Zero Carbon Fuel Monitor

What are PWRs?

Pressurised Water Reactors (PWRs) have been developed into small modular reactors that could be used onboard. They use uranium as fuel to generate heat through a controlled nuclear fission chain reaction. The heat is transferred to the coolant, which in a PWR is typically ordinary water. The heated coolant remains in a liquid state at the high temperatures due to the high pressure maintained within the reactor vessel. This heat can then be used for conversion to electrical power or direct thermal energy for heating purposes.

Get in touch with our decarbonisation experts

Supply chain stages explained

Resources

Production

Bunkering and ports

(reactor refuelling and ports)

Handling and storage onboard

(reactor operation)

Propulsion

(reactor operation)

The supply of fuel resources for nuclear powered shipping comes from potentially two sources. The existing uranium supply chain and the a potential new thorium supply chain.

For nuclear powered shipping, production refers to production of both the fuel (enrichment, de-conversion, fabrication - including lifecycle impacts), and the reactor (technology development and manufacturing).

For nuclear powered shipping, the role of ports is different to traditional fuels and there is no bunkering. Here we refer to the nuclear fuel utilisation cycle, including: transportation of fuel/reactor, refuelling/reactor replacement, maintenance and port infrastructure.

For nuclear fuel, handling and storage onboard is inextricably linked with propulsion. Here we repeat the readiness figures given under propulsion.

For nuclear powered shipping, we include reactor operation (for power and/or propulsion) and reactor integration and operation into/on a floating vessel.

The readiness level view shows Technology on a scale from 1 (lowest) to 9 (highest), and both Investment and Community on a scale from 1 (lowest) to 6 (highest). In the supply chain view all figures are displayed on a percentage basis to allow like for like comparison, against a scale in 10% increments.

Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR)

Nuclear PWR data insights

Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)
Investment Readiness Levels (IRL)
Community Readiness Levels (CRL)

Technology	Rating	Description	Justification	Challenge
Resource	9	Production and product fully operational	A uranium supply chain already exists to serve other sectors, however supply does not currently meet potential future demand.	Scaled-up uranium mining is required to meet current demand and increased demand from other sectors, such as shipping, adopting nuclear technologies.
Production	8	Manufacturing fully tested, validated and qualified	The fuel and technology exist and are proven in maritime applications, although are not yet used in commercial shipping. For example, the Akademik Lomonsov floating nuclear power station for supplying electricity offshore.	Standards in commercial shipping need to be defined
Bunkering and ports (reactor refuelling and ports)	7	Low scale pilot production demonstrated	Refuelling of PWRs is already well-established for use in other sectors, and has been completed in a maritime environment (floating offshore asset). However, the infrastructure to do this is not yet available in civillian ports and the technology concept and procedures are being formulated at national level only.	Experience from naval nuclear vessels and ports will be leveraged to develop infrastructure and procedures for docking and repair shipyards that will handle nuclear ships. Nominated ports will need to demonstrate refuelling capabilities, including spent fuel removal and transportation. The technology concept and procedures need to be developed and adopted at an international level
Onboard handling and storage (reactor operation)	8	Manufacturing fully tested, validated and qualified	The technology has been proven in a test environment and leveraging defence sector experience, however marinisation is needed for the next iteration for commercial shipping. Current Russian projects serve as effective prototypes for our development, along with the Savannah and Autohan from Germany, which represent early-generation PWRs.	Regulation needs to be defined so that appropriate procedures and technology can be deployed and tested onboard commercial ships. Limited operational experience in a commercial environment.
Propulsion (reactor operation)	8	Manufacturing fully tested, validated and qualified	The technology has been proven in a test environment and leveraging defence sector experience, however marinisation is needed for the next iteration for commercial shipping. Current Russian projects serve as effective prototypes for our development, along with the Savannah and Autohan from Germany, which represent early-generation PWRs.	Regulation needs to be defined so that appropriate procedures and technology can be deployed and tested onboard commercial ships. Limited operational experience in a commercial environment.

Investment	Rating	Description	Justification	Challenge
Resource	6	Bankable asset class	Uranium ore is a trading commodity. A uranium supply chain already exists, with several companies currently mining and supplying to other sectors.	Scaling supply to meeting demand whilst avoiding increased prices.
Production	4	Multiple commercial applications	Multiple supply chains for both the fuel and technology exist. Initial performance and revenue projections have been developed for shipping investment, although there are uncertainties in these projections whilst CRL elements remain low.	Strong market demand is needed to scale
Bunkering and ports (reactor refuelling and ports)	4	Multiple commercial applications	Fuel supply to PWRs exists although without competition. Different applications exist in different countries. Most of these are currently land-based but we believe that these could be deployed for maritime.	Investment in production facilites for new fuel types to scale in response to potential demand growth. Successful trials of new reactor types and regulations will drive investment in the fuel utilisation cycle.
Ship	2	Commercial trial, small scale	Russia has aspirations to export its technology from a small number of operating vessels, but no other actors exist in this space at this time.	Geopolitical constraints and regulatory frameworks currently limit further development of the economic case.

Community	Rating	Description	Justification	Challenge
Resource	5	Increased transparency and formalised processes driving momentum for change	Increasing political momentum as evidenced by inter-governmental commitments at COP28. Anecdotal evidence also suggests a softening of the anti-nuclear attitude amongst the younger generation.	Leveraging that momentum and understanding the global energy demands to meet decarbonisation targets.
Production	2	Stakeholder support or opposition is becoming understood as a result of pilots	Existing nuclear powered vessels, mainly naval but some civil, have a strong enough public profile for us to understand the arguments for and against. Rules and regulations exist for using nuclear technology in commmercial shipping, however they have been outpaced by current technology.	Can civic acceptance of existing nuclear applications at sea be translated to commercial shipping? Safety and environmental regulations need to be updated for transportable reactors, and communities need to be engaged and educated on the evidence around inherent safety and environmental designs.
Bunkering and ports (reactor refuelling and ports)	2	Stakeholder support or opposition is becoming understood as a result of pilots	Existing nuclear powered vessels, mainly naval but some civil, have a strong enough public profile for us to understand the arguments for and against. Rules and regulations exist for using nuclear technology in commmercial shipping, however they have been outpaced by current technology.	Can civic acceptance of existing nuclear applications at sea be translated to commercial shipping? Safety and environmental regulations need to be updated for transportable reactors, and communities need to be engaged and educated on the evidence around inherent safety and environmental designs.
Ship	2	Stakeholder support or opposition is becoming understood as a result of pilots	Existing nuclear powered vessels, mainly naval but some civil, have a strong enough public profile for us to understand the arguments for and against. Rules and regulations exist for using nuclear technology in commmercial shipping, however they have been outpaced by current technology.	Can civic acceptance of existing nuclear applications at sea be translated to commercial shipping? Safety and environmental regulations need to be updated for transportable reactors, and communities need to be engaged and educated on the evidence around inherent safety and environmental designs.

Explore zero carbon fuels

Review expertise, readiness levels and data on future fuels

Zero Carbon Fuel Monitor