The United States will host the International High-level Forum of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) groundbreaking Atomic Technologies Licensed for Applications at Sea (ATLAS) initiative at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington on August 26-27.

The landmark event will bring together ministers, policymakers, regulators and industry leaders from around the world to chart a bold path toward the deployment of safe and secure civil applications for nuclear energy at sea, according to the US Department of State.

Nuclear energy holds tremendous promise for transforming commercial shipping, including by enabling faster maritime transport without the need for frequent refueling.

Cutting-edge innovations, such as floating nuclear power plants powered by advanced small modular reactors, could provide reliable energy to remote and coastal communities and support industrial breakthroughs in desalination and offshore energy production.

Through ATLAS, the IAEA will bring together the full spectrum of stakeholders, from Member States to industry innovators, to address the legal, regulatory and technical challenges standing between vision and reality.

On August 25, the US will host an Industry Day highlighting America’s leading nuclear and maritime innovators and showcasing US leadership at the frontier of civil maritime nuclear technology.

The US is ensuring that America’s steadfast commitment to safety, security and nonproliferation shapes the future of ATLAS.

ATLAS represents a first-of-its-kind opportunity, whose success will depend on strong and sustained collaboration among IAEA Member States, the International Maritime Organization, port authorities, nuclear and maritime regulators and industry.

Together, this global partnership will help usher in a new era of credible, scalable nuclear energy on the high seas and deliver on President Trump’s pledge to revitalize innovation in nuclear technologies and expand access to nuclear power.