Lloyd's Register to use AI to aid maritime nuclear licensing
UK-based classification society and professional advisory service Lloyd's Register announced it is to use generative AI to advance the application of nuclear technology in maritime in collaboration with Microsoft.
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Lloyd's Register will become one of the first maritime organisations to use generative AI for permitting capabilities built upon Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, "to bridge the gap between terrestrial and maritime applications".
"The capabilities are designed to enhance the regulatory process for nuclear technology and will be used by Lloyd's Register to advance the deployment of nuclear in maritime applications," it said.
Azure's generative AI capabilities work by analysing historic nuclear licensing data and allows licensing engineers to draft new permitting documents more quickly, ready for review and refinement. It can also quickly search for regulations, precedents, and other valuable information buried in large regulatory datasets.
"The technology enables a faster and more cost-effective pathway through regulation, which is essential for making nuclear a viable clean energy solution," Lloyd's Register said. "AI has the power to break through barriers allowing to unlock the potential of nuclear across floating nuclear power, offshore, and ship power."
"We have a large data source from decades of regulatory applications which these AI capabilities can interrogate swiftly to identify good practice and lessons learned," said Mark Tipping, Global Offshore Power To X Director at Lloyd's Register. "Together, we're tackling one of the biggest challenges in deploying nuclear technology, which is navigating complex, slow, and costly licensing processes.
"Collaborating with Microsoft provides us with an excellent opportunity to combine two very different areas of expertise, their AI capabilities and our vast history and knowledge of maritime and nuclear safety."
Lloyd's Register Deputy Chief Technology and Innovation Officer Jeff Scott added: "Regulations shouldn't be a roadblock to innovation - they should be a launchpad. By teaming up with Microsoft, we're using AI to cut through the red tape and fast-track the future of nuclear in maritime. It's an exciting step toward making clean energy a reality on the water."
"This collaboration underscores our commitment to harnessing the power of AI to drive innovation and advance sustainability across sectors," said Darryl Willis, Microsoft CVP, Energy and Resources Industry. "By combining our AI expertise with Lloyd's Register's expertise in maritime and nuclear safety, we are paving the way to ease regulatory barriers and make sustainability more attainable for all industries."
The shipping industry consumes some 350 million tonnes of fossil fuel annually and accounts for about 3% of total worldwide carbon emissions. In July 2023, the shipping industry, via the International Maritime Organization, approved new targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions, aiming to reach net-zero emissions by, or around, 2050.
In July last year, Lloyd's Register released a report that concluded nuclear power could transform the maritime industry with emissions-free shipping, whilst extending the life cycle of vessels and removing the uncertainty of fuel and refuelling infrastructure development. However, it said regulation and safety considerations must be addressed for its widespread commercial adoption.
The following month, a joint development project agreement was signed between Lloyd's Register, Core Power and AP Moller - Maersk to conduct a regulatory assessment study to determine the safety and regulatory considerations for a potential nuclear-propelled containership to undertake cargo operations at a port in Europe.
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