Norway to Test Full-Scale Nuclear Ship Propulsion System by 2027
A Norwegian group will build and test a full-scale model of a nuclear propulsion system for ships at a test facility at Stette, near Ålesund on Norway’s west coast. The Marine Nuclear Propulsion System (MarNuPS) Pilot is led by Emerald Nuclear Norway and has received NOK 20 million in initial funding from the Research Council of Norway.
Partners include shipbuilder VARD, Vard Electro, offshore vessel owner Island Offshore, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Imperial College London and Maskindynamikk. The first stage is expected to cost about NOK 150 million (around USD 15.6 million), with the partners paying a large share themselves.
The system links Emerald Nuclear’s 5 MWe Gem microreactor with energy storage, power conversion, power management, automation and bridge controls. In the 2027 tests, electric heaters will take the place of nuclear fuel. The team will check normal running, sudden changes in power demand, stress conditions, overall performance and how crews interact with the system.
Island Offshore plans to be the first owner to install the reactor and energy system, with a vessel in service targeted for 2031–32. The project builds on the NTNU-led NuProShip research programme.
Testing crew interaction at this early stage is important. If nuclear propulsion reaches offshore and merchant ships, engineers and officers will need new skills in reactor operation, radiation safety and emergency response, and training schemes will have to be ready well before the first vessel sails.
