Maritime PRPP Contract Details notice

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has awarded a contract for the provision of a qualitative assessment of the proliferation resistance and physical protection (PRPP) characteristics of advanced reactor systems adapted for potential marine propulsion applications (hereafter “the Study”).

This assessment builds on previous PRPP evaluations commissioned by the Client for land‑based Generation IV reactor systems; specifically, PWR, HTGR, LFR, SFR and MSR designs and will consider how PRPP outcomes may differ when such reactor types are adapted for deployment onboard maritime vessels.

The Study will include the following:

1. Technology and Design Review

• Review of the global marine reactor development landscape to identify which previously assessed land‑based reactor types have credible or emerging marine‑based variants.
• Identification and description of design changes associated with marine deployment, including but not limited to:

Core size and configuration

Core materials

Fuel enrichment levels

Fuel form

Spent fuel volumes and properties

Refuelling approach and operational cycles

2. PRPP Scenario Review

• Re‑examination of the three threat scenarios used in the previous PRPP assessments (one proliferation scenario and two physical protection scenarios).
• Qualitative commentary on how scenario assessments and scoring ‘would change’ because of:

Siting reactors onboard maritime vessels

Design modifications identified in the technology and design review

3. High‑Level Assessment Output

• Development of a high‑level, qualitative description of how PRPP measure scores might be adjusted should an expert workshop be reconvened.
• The Study will ‘not’ re‑score the original PRPP measures in detail, as the intent is to inform future expert assessment rather than replace it.