The United States’ ability to sustain commercial and military operations in infrastructure-scarce environments such as the Arctic and Indo-Pacific is becoming increasingly important as receding sea ice opens new trade routes and cross-Strait tensions simmer. If the United States is serious about enabling a commercial and security presence in both regions, floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs) and nuclear propulsion deserve evaluation as part of its new maritime strategy. The recently released Maritime Action Plan (MAP)—required by President Trump’s 2025 executive order on maritime dominance—could be the platform upon which the United States could begin building its maritime nuclear capabilities.
The MAP recognizes that sea power is foundational to US strength and provides a framework for its restoration, including sections on reviving shipbuilding capacity, reforming workforce education and training, protecting the maritime industrial base, and strengthening national security and industrial resilience. The MAP does not explicitly propose using nuclear energy to power new vessels, but it dedicates substantial attention to Arctic waterways security, icebreaking capability, and a persistent presence in high latitudes, for which maritime nuclear power would be ideal.
The United States has a history of safely and effectively using nuclear propulsion in submarines in environments like this. But competitors have pursued other maritime nuclear options. Russia has long used nuclear-powered icebreakers and was the first to commercialize an FNPP, which operates in the Arctic. China is developing nuclear-powered commercial vessels that could expand their growing dominance in maritime commerce. To develop similar capacities, the United States can leverage four of the MAP’s key ideas to incorporate nuclear power in its commercial and military fleets.
1. Rebuilding US fleet capabilities
The MAP emphasizes rebuilding the Strategic Commercial Fleet (SCF), recapitalizing the Ready Reserve Force (RRF), and increasing the number of US-built and US-flagged vessels participating in international trade. Those are necessary steps for providing depth for US sealift capabilities. Yet it takes more than fleet size to address the strategic vulnerabilities facing US maritime power. Innovation through nuclear is an important component.
Nuclear propulsion, along with FNPPs that can power key locations far from the United States or its territories and bases, offer new and resilient capabilities. An FNPP can operate on-site for years without refueling, reducing the military’s reliance on vulnerable fuel supply chains while expanding operational reach and survivability. Dual-use, US-flagged nuclear-powered vessels that are a part of the new SCF and RRF could serve as strategic sealift providers. These platforms would deliver greater endurance and “speed to need” than current vessels, offering a new strategic capability for the nation.
2. Regulatory modernization as a catalyst
The MAP calls for regulatory modernization to accommodate emerging capabilities, which could include advanced nuclear technology. This adds to the momentum built in 2025 toward global standardization, when the International Maritime Organization agreed to update the 44-year-old nuclear safety code for merchant ships. In addition, the International Atomic Energy Agency is in the process of launching its Atomic Technologies Licensed for Applications at Sea (ATLAS) initiative, which will provide a critical pathway to harmonize maritime and nuclear standards. However, those initiatives will take years to complete as broad alignment is built internationally.
But for domestic purposes, the United States does not have to wait for this to be completed and has already taken initial steps toward developing a governance structure to ensure the safe and secure integration of nuclear energy at sea. In late 2025, the US Coast Guard (USCG) created a maritime nuclear policy division to support this goal. This new division along with the MAP provide a platform to develop a more formal regulatory framework that can be applied to maritime nuclear applications across key agencies, such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; USCG; and the Departments of Defense, Energy, State, and Transportation. It could even lead to the creation of a coordinating mechanism within the US government, such as a maritime nuclear office. Such an entity could provide a means to generate greater regulatory clarity, address considerations surrounding nuclear security and safety, drive efforts to address questions surrounding commercial liability, promote exports, prioritize port readiness, and generally accelerate the development and deployment of maritime nuclear technology. In this way, the United States could position itself to compete more effectively against its geopolitical rivals in the creation of a global maritime nuclear industry.
3. Financing the maritime industrial revitalization
The MAP proposes a Maritime Security Trust Fund (MSTF) to provide the long-term financing needed for maritime industrial revitalization. Although the precise mechanisms for this fund are not fully developed, it signals the seriousness the US government places on enhancing its maritime strength. Such a fund could prove critical to commercial maritime nuclear efforts, especially considering the higher development and up-front capital expenditures required for nuclear applications. A blended capital approach, combining public sector-led risk mitigation with private investment, could accelerate innovation while preserving fiscal discipline for maritime nuclear technologies. Structured appropriately, the MSTF could support production of demonstration vessels or pilot programs to evaluate floating nuclear use cases under commercial conditions.
4. Workforce and human capital
The MAP prioritizes expanding mariner training, modernizing the US Merchant Marine Academy, and scaling workforce pipelines. This could also be applied to maritime nuclear applications, which require specialized expertise. The US Navy already developed a highly successful nuclear training program that could serve as a model for similar programs for the emerging commercial maritime nuclear industry.
Leading institutions are not procrastinating. The Maine Maritime Academy announced the reinstatement of its nuclear engineering major for aspiring mariners in 2025. And, that same year, the American Nuclear Society created a maritime nuclear task force that could help synchronize human capital development needs between the nuclear and maritime domains. Those and related steps could strengthen the capacity of the domestic technical workforce as the United States creates its maritime nuclear industry over the coming decades.
The future is nuclear
Revitalizing the maritime industry in the United States requires innovation alongside the creation of shipyards and fleets. The MAP provides a framework for rebuilding this capacity and is a platform to advance US maritime nuclear capabilities. Commercial maritime nuclear applications will increase the odds for a return to US maritime strength, while enhancing the endurance and resilience of key assets in regions including the Arctic and Indo-Pacific. Thoughtful integration of nuclear technology into floating applications could prove to be one of the most consequential strategic decisions in the next phase of the nation’s maritime revitalization.
Joel Spangenberg is a Veterans Advanced Energy Fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center and the founding and managing partner of Severn Readiness.
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Image: The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) conducts a replenishment-at-sea with the Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler, USNS John Lenthall (T-AO 189) while underway in the Atlantic Ocean, Mar. 3, 2026. The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group is at sea training as an integrated warfighting team. Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) is the Joint Force's most complex integrated training event and prepares naval task forces for sustained high-end Joint and combined combat. Integrated naval training provides combatant commanders and America's civilian leaders highly capable forces that deter adversaries, underpin American security and economic prosperity, and reassure Allies and partners. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Mark Peña)