NUCLEAR TRANSPORT | CONFERENCE REPORT future of transport Navigating the
The World Nuclear Transport Institute (WNTI) held the inaugural World Nuclear Transport Conference in London in November. The event made clear that the
future of nuclear innovation depends on early, integrated planning for transport. By Harley Henson & Peter Bryant, WNTI
HELD IN LONDON THIS NOVEMBER, the inaugural World Nuclear Transport Conference brought together a community of experts from over 18 countries, marking a major milestone for the global nuclear transport sector. From the outset, the World Nuclear Transport Institute’s
CEO, Professor Peter Bryant, underscored a unifying theme: the future of nuclear innovation depends on early, integrated planning for transport. Speakers throughout the opening plenaries echoed this theme, touching on the key nuclear sector advances that will have a profound impact of the industry over the coming decades. Deployment of microreactors, floating nuclear power plants, HALEU-fuelled systems and next-generation propulsion will all depend on the transport of nuclear materials. A clear message emerged – if transport is not ready, the future will be delayed. The programme, built around the overarching theme
Below: The conference heard that industry innovation depends on integrated planning for nuclear transport
of ‘Navigating the Future: Powered by Nuclear, Delivered by Transport,’ explored the key technologies reshaping the landscape. Sessions on new fuels, marine nuclear propulsion and microreactor deployment highlighted both technical progress and the growing complexity of transport interfaces. For example, discussions about HALEU and other new nuclear fuel types revealed that a lack of appropriate packaging is the main barrier to unlocking the full potential of Advanced and Small Modular Reactors (S/AMRs). At the same time, the increase in the development of gigawatt- scale nuclear power plants and expansion of the global fleet of Light Water Reactors is dependent on infrastructure which doesn’t yet exist from a transport perspective. These examples show how the current rate of innovation exceeds that of regulation and industry process, highlighting key focal areas for the nuclear transport sector for 2026.
A major focal point across the conference was the evolution of international regulation and standards. Senior figures from the IAEA, IMO, OECD NEA and ICRP shared updates on regulatory reforms, maritime frameworks, radiological protection revisions and cross-border legal challenges. Their collective message stressed the importance of collaboration between regulators, technical bodies, industry and member states. Sustainability also took centre stage, with lively debate
on proportionate treatment of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) and the increasingly complex demands around spent fuel transport. Speakers emphasised that sustainable development will require both pragmatic regulation and robust international coordination. The sector’s growing skills challenge was another
standout theme. Representatives from the World Maritime University, UKAEA and rising industry professionals stressed that attracting and retaining talent is now mission critical. With new technologies emerging faster than the workforce is growing, delegates explored practical pathways for training, career development and global collaboration. WNTI’s new Centre of Excellence, launched under its 2025–2030 Strategy, will play an important role in this effort. Finally, the conference tackled the equally important
issue of societal perception. This point was emphasised through the potential situation in which SMRs, AMRs, and Micro reactors may need to be transported fully fuelled through urban environments. Guest speaker Elfriede Derrer-Merk explored the psychology behind perceptions of nuclear risk touching on the complex associations with political ideology, activism, scientific communication, media sensationalism, and the emotional and cognitive belief systems which process all this information. While there is no one-stop solution to tackling challenges of public perception such as this, it stood out as another key issue for the industry to keep in insight over the coming years. Similarly, the new A1 / A2 Values threaten the future
transport of Alpha Therapy Sources. This could mean increasing costs to the medical sector or a decrease in the volume of material transported and therefore treatments given. The IAEA is starting a new work stream dedicated to this issue which will be one to watch in 2026. As the event closed, one message resonated: the sector
stands at a pivotal point. With rapid technological change, evolving public expectations and global climate pressures, nuclear transport is no longer a supporting function – it is an enabler of the entire nuclear future. ■
20 | December 2025 |
www.neimagazine.com
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