The U.S. Center for Maritime Innovation (USCMI) convened industry and government leaders for its Innovation Cafe9, focused on Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technologies for maritime applications.
The event was held with the U.S. Maritime Administration and facilitated by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), which also serves as Secretariat for USCMI and leads and facilitates industry dialogue to advance maritime connectivity. Hosted at ABSs office in Washington, D.C., the meeting brought together innovators, startups, shipping companies, shipyards, ports, SMR developers, and key government stakeholders.
USCMI framed the sessions around emerging concepts, economic assessment, and identifying pathways for adoption of small modular reactors in commercial maritime applications. U.S. Maritime Administrator Stephen Carmel kicked off the event, emphasizing aligning maritime innovation with operational realities and national priorities, while David Walker, Secretariat for USCMI, said the discussions connect stakeholders and accelerate practical pathways for integrating satellite connectivity into the maritime ecosystem.