The Fusion Power Barge (FusPoB) is a Joint Industry Project assessing the feasibility of installing and operating a compact nuclear fusion reactor aboard a vessel. The consortium of nT-Tao, ABS, Siemens Energy, P&P Marine Consultants, and TEMISTh is conducting an engineering and safety study, with ABS leading classification and regulatory work.
P&P Marine Consultants has proposed a DP2-designated anchor handling power barge supply vessel, 71.4 metres in length, capable of ocean towing, offshore power supply, and desalinated water provision.
The vessel would be powered by two 8000 kWe steam generators driven by nT-Tao’s compact fusion reactor, with battery backup providing six hours of operational autonomy at eight knots. Design speed is 14 knots with a 30-metric-tonne bollard pull and a crew of 24.
Also read: Rotterdam maps path for nuclear ship port calls
Fusion reactor
nT-Tao‘s fusion reactor is built around a novel pulsed Stellarator design — a confinement approach that enables a compact form factor compatible with marine integration. The containerised unit is designed to slot into standard vessel structural envelopes, minimising conversion complexity. A commercial prototype is targeted for approximately 2032.
The project will deliver five outputs: a regulatory and classification pathway, an engineering integration study, a HAZID risk assessment, a technical and economic appraisal, and a consolidated feasibility report.
Also read: IMO plans safety rules for battery, wind and nuclear ships
Challenges and stakes
The presentation was candid about the hurdles. No classification framework currently exists for a fusion reactor aboard a marine vessel, meaning ABS and the consortium are building the regulatory pathway from first principles.
Additional challenges include maintaining plasma confinement stability under the dynamic conditions of an offshore environment, managing a complex multi-domain risk profile combining fusion-specific and conventional marine hazards, and benchmarking first-of-kind integration costs.
If successful, FusPoB would establish the world’s first classification and regulatory framework for a floating fusion power installation — positioning the consortium as global leaders in an emerging field with significant implications for maritime decarbonisation, remote energy access, and offshore water supply.
Also read: Nuclear power: Why offshore vessels need a new energy model
