Nuclear propulsion is re-entering the maritime conversation as decarbonisation pressures intensify and small modular reactor technology advances. Industry experts highlight promising gains in endurance, emissions reduction, and cargo capacity, while exposing unresolved challenges around safety, regulation, economics, public acceptance, and infrastructure that could determine commercial viability for years to come.

Managing the growing density of sensors and electronic systems on modern naval vessels requires careful consideration of how exhaust gases interact with the ship’s superstructure. Advanced CFD modelling of exhaust plume behaviour demonstrates how temperature fields can be predicted with useful accuracy, supporting more effective sensor placement and reducing the risk of performance degradation from thermal interference.

As waterways become busier and port infrastructure more constrained, understanding how currents interact with fixed structures is increasingly important for navigational safety. Combined experimental and CFD analysis reveals how piers can alter vessel trajectories and influence clearance requirements, highlighting critical considerations for ship handling, port design, and risk management in challenging operating environments.

As high-speed catamarans push the boundaries of maritime transport, understanding slamming loads remains critical to safety, comfort, and structural performance. Extensive model testing in realistic sea conditions is challenging traditional indicators of slam severity, revealing more nuanced relationships between vessel motions, wave interactions, and the forces experienced during impact.

As shipping explores pathways to deep decarbonisation, nuclear propulsion is re-emerging as a potential long-term alternative to conventional fuels. Conceptual integration of a small modular reactor into a Suezmax tanker demonstrates technical feasibility, while highlighting the regulatory, safety, economic, and public acceptance challenges that will ultimately shape commercial adoption.

As maritime safety moves toward risk-based design, improving the realism of collision assessment is becoming increasingly important. By applying probabilistic analysis to decades of collision and near-miss data, new methodologies are helping designers identify more representative accident scenarios, supporting safer vessel concepts and more informed management of collision-related risks.

As composite materials become more prevalent in marine structures, managing uncertainty is emerging as a critical aspect of design. Advances in reliability-based assessment are enabling faster evaluation of complex composite structures, revealing how different design approaches influence safety margins and performance, while supporting more informed decisions in the pursuit of lightweight, efficient engineering solutions.