China Attends the Launch Meeting of the IAEA's "Application of Technology License for At-Sea Nuclear Energy (ATLAS)" Initiative

Recently, the launch meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s “Application of Technology License for At-Sea Nuclear Energy (ATLAS)” Initiative was held in Washington, D.C., the United States. The meeting was organized by the IAEA and hosted by the U.S. government, with approximately 600 representatives attending, including senior government officials, leaders from the nuclear and maritime industries, and technical experts from more than 50 countries and international organizations. Officials from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (National Nuclear Safety Administration), the China Atomic Energy Authority, and the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment attended the meeting.

The ATLAS Initiative aims to promote the development and deployment of civil nuclear-powered ships and floating nuclear power plants by establishing a global framework that integrates nuclear safety, nuclear security, and nuclear safeguards. At the opening of the meeting, IAEA Director General Rafael · Grossi emphasized that the launch of the ATLAS Initiative comes at a critical juncture where global energy transition and shipping decarbonization intersect. By building the first global dialogue platform between the nuclear energy industry and the maritime industry, there is not only an opportunity to reshape the future landscape of these two pillar industries, but also to build broad international confidence in the safe, reliable, and peaceful use of maritime nuclear technology. China expressed its support for the ATLAS Initiative and put forward three propositions: first, uphold the safety bottom line and build a coordinated and unified regulatory framework; second, promote industrial innovation and achieve close synergy between nuclear energy and maritime affairs; third, adhere to extensive consultation and joint contribution to improve universal international rules.

As the first coordination framework at the global level that integrates nuclear energy applications and maritime development, the launch of the ATLAS Initiative marks the first step in the innovation of the civil nuclear maritime industry. Following the launch of the ATLAS Initiative, the IAEA will advance its implementation through six project groups: international safety norms and standards, legal and regulatory frameworks, maritime classification, safeguards, nuclear security, and technology, infrastructure, and fuel cycle deployment roadmaps. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment (National Nuclear Safety Administration) has nominated technical experts to participate in two project groups respectively: international safety norms and standards, and legal and regulatory frameworks. China will actively participate in and continuously follow the formulation of international safety standards related to floating reactors, as well as the establishment and improvement of regulatory frameworks and systems at the national level.