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28/01/2026 The 12th session of the IMO's Sub-committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC 12), held from 19 to 23 January, developed a high-level work plan for revising the Code of Safety for Nuclear Merchant Ships (Nuclear Code) and identifying relevant amendments to SOLAS Chapter VIII - Nuclear ships. The high-level work plan envisages that the updated Nuclear Code, which was adopted as Assembly Resolution A.491(XII) in 1981, and amendments to SOLAS Ch. VIII, will be adopted in 2030. The target date, and the work plan itself, may change depending on progress made. Discussions during SDC 12 reflected diverse views on how to revise the Nuclear Code, but a key point in the debate related to the use of IMO Goal-Based Standards, informally known as “Rules for Rules”, in the process. There was general agreement that the IAEA must be involved to ensure the updated IMO framework is aligned with current IAEA standards. 
Nuclear Ships: First Principles session. Image by Core Power. Nuclear regulation within IMO's GHG safety framework
In line with instructions from MSC 110, the SDC work plan under the GHG Safety agenda item also includes development of safety guidelines for ships using wind power and drafting amendments to SOLAS relating to the use of batteries. What happens next in the IMO process The work plan developed at SDC 12 will be presented to MSC 111 in May 2026 for endorsement. In order to make progress between now and the next session of SDC, which meets once a year, SDC 12 agreed to set up a correspondence group (CG) to address elements of the work relating to nuclear, wind and batteries. SDC 12 agreed that the CG's aims should include preparing an inventory of topics/challenges relating to the use of nuclear reactors for maritime applications and collate information on relevant hazard identification exercises. Industry technical input and nuclear briefings at the IMO CORE POWER took an active part in SDC 12 as part of the NEMO and WNTI delegations, with our Marine Regulations Lead Unni Einemo and our Director of Engineering Rosa Vilarino taking the floor several times during discussions of nuclear energy throughout the week. In addition, CORE POWER took the lead in providing a presentation and Q&A session on behalf of NEMO at SDC 12, with the aim of informing the primarily maritime audience at the IMO about nuclear. The session, entitled “Nuclear Ships: First Principles” featured CORE POWER's Principal Nuclear Engineer Ioannis Kourasis giving a presentation on key safety principles for nuclear ships, and our VP of Regulatory Development Scott Edwards providing an overview over the basics of nuclear security and IAEA Safeguards, and their implications for nuclear-powered ships. The session started with a brief introduction to NEMO by Meg Dowling from Lloyd's Register, while NEMO's Chair Mamdouh el Shanawany took part in the Q&A, wrapping up a well-attended session. Growing regulatory engagement on maritime nuclear It was clear that interest in nuclear-powered ships is growing, evidenced by the fact that all seven proposals submitted to SDC 12 under the GHG Safety agenda item related to nuclear. There were no concrete proposals relating to wind and batteries, while one of three documents providing relevant information for the GHG Safety agenda item was about wind-assisted propulsion, versus two on nuclear. Further proof of the interest in developing a fit-for-purpose regulatory framework for nuclear-powered ships was the fact that several Member States, for the first time, brought representatives from their national nuclear regulators to SDC 12. The IAEA also had a delegation paying close attention to discussions at SDC 12, as well as helping to explain its role, and that of the Atomic Technologies Licensed for Applications at Sea (ATLAS) initiative, in developing standards for civil nuclear-powered ships and floating nuclear power plants. The IAEA said ATLAS is still being formed, but that a ministerial-level kick-off event for ATLAS is planned later in 2026. As a founding member, CORE POWER will continue to work through NEMO and the relevant NEMO working groups and task forces in support of the update to the Nuclear Code, in particular contributing to submissions that provide information and concrete proposals to move forward. CORE POWER, press release 
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