The Port of Long Beach is emerging as a potential proving ground for maritime nuclear energy, with plans that could eventually bring small modular reactors to one of America’s most important trade gateways.On July 22, 2026, the port signed a first-of-its-kind memorandum of cooperation with the U.S. Maritime Administration, or MARAD. The initiative will examine small modular reactors for:
• Resilient port microgrids
• Shoreside electricity
• Future nuclear-powered commercial vessels
The agreement applies to Long Beach—not the neighboring Port of Los Angeles—but its implications could extend across the combined San Pedro Bay port complex.Reliable 24/7 power is central to the concept.
Long Beach plans to double its container volume by 2050 while electrifying cargo-handling equipment, trucks, harbor craft and other operations. Port officials estimate that this transition will eventually require hundreds of megawatts of additional electricity. SMRs could potentially provide firm, zero-emission power without relying entirely on the regional grid.
Under the federal partnership, Long Beach and MARAD expect to collaborate with the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Their work will focus on the operational protocols, safety standards, inspection processes and emergency-response practices needed to receive and service nuclear-powered vessels. The agreement also covers resilient port microgrids, shoreside-power architecture and workforce development.
The private-sector story centers on BlueCore Energy, a maritime nuclear startup led by founder and CEO Kofi Asante. Through a separate port lease, BlueCore has established its headquarters at Long Beach and received permission to assemble, test and store maritime power modules there. BlueCore is developing water-cooled reactors for floating energy barges. Its initial system is designed to produce 10 megawatts of electricity—approximately enough for 15,000 homes—and multiple units could be combined to serve larger port or industrial loads. The company has delivered a barge and an electric test reactor to its Long Beach facility and is testing system components while working through engineering, classification, regulatory and commercialization requirements. This should not be confused with installation of an operating nuclear reactor at the port.
BlueCore has raised approximately $10 million in an oversubscribed private financing round led by Slauson & Co. Participants include Harlem Capital, Precursor Ventures, LMNT, Visible Hands VC, Karman Ventures, Capital Factory, Share VC, Hartbeat Ventures and individual investors including Ripple cofounder Chris Larsen.
No federal construction award has been announced. The MARAD agreement is exploratory and nonbinding: it does not commit either party to funding, procurement or a particular reactor technology. Port-industry representatives are advocating federal grants, DOE deployment funding and Title 17 loan guarantees to reduce risk and attract additional private capital.
Significant hurdles remain, including NRC licensing, Coast Guard requirements, California siting law, security, insurance, emergency planning, spent-fuel management and community acceptance. There is also no final procurement decision or deployment schedule.
Still, the combination of federal coordination, a port-based private developer and growing demand for dependable electricity makes Long Beach one of the most closely watched maritime SMR initiatives in the country. The project’s near-term importance may be less about producing nuclear power immediately and more about establishing the regulatory, financial and operating framework needed to make round-the-clock nuclear-powered ports possible.
Sources: MARAD, Port of Long Beach, American Nuclear Society, World Nuclear News, and BlueCore Energy.Screenshot
Market Report: Key Takeaways
• In terms of application, the power generation sub-segment secures 34.20% of the overall revenue share of the global market.
• In terms of types of reactors, the heavy water reactors sub-segment holds the largest share (40.30%) of small modular reactor market.
• In terms of leading region, North America holds the largest share with 35.68% share of the market.
• Key market drivers are the growing demand for low-carbon, reliable energy in grid modernization.
Market Overview
Small modular reactors (SMRs) are a new generation of nuclear reactors characterized by their smaller, modular design, typically generating up to 300 MW of electric power per unit. Unlike conventional large-scale nuclear plants, SMRs integrate key safety components within individual modules, enabling enhanced inherent safety and simpler design.
Their modular nature allows for factory fabrication, scalability via multi-module installations, and reduced construction timelines, which collectively lower capital and operational costs compared to traditional reactors.
SMRs have versatile applications across diverse sectors. Integration of small modular reactors in industrial and desalination applications is suitable for replacing aging fossil fuel plants, supporting industrial processes with combined heat and power, and complementing renewable energy by providing reliable baseload or load-following electricity.
These reactors are especially valuable in regions lacking extensive electrical grids or access to cooling water, as their smaller footprint and flexible deployment allow operation in remote or smaller-scale markets. Additionally, SMRs hold promise for maritime propulsion and off-grid power needs, expanding their utility beyond conventional electricity generation.
The growth of the SMR market is driven by multiple factors. Increasing global electricity demand, the imperative for low-carbon and sustainable energy solutions, and the flexibility SMRs offer in size and application support adoption. Advancements in passive safety features for small modular reactors are reducing barriers to deployment.
Government support, growing industrial interest in decarbonization, and the need for resilient, distributed energy systems further propel the integration of SMRs into future energy infrastructures. Amid global efforts to transition away from carbon-intensive power, SMRs present a strategically significant technology for achieving reliable, cleaner energy generation with economic and safety benefits unmatched by large nuclear plants.
Bottom Line for SMRFX Index
Data Centers electricity demand dominates the early revenue streams for SMR nuclear power, but the multiple follow-on revenue streams can be meaningful, this is our research on Large Shipping Ports. Nuclear shipping is not a 2030 growth story — it’s a 2035-onward story that could compound meaningfully through 2050 if the regulatory pieces fall into place roughly as outlined above. The fund’s thesis on SMR technology already captures the underlying reactor developers who would benefit most directly; commercial shipping represents a large, currently under-appreciated demand-side catalyst layered on top of grid and industrial applications. Also, putting nuclear SMR’s on barges could have multiple use cases.
Sources: Nautilus Indexes, Root Analysisshot