Bluecore takes nuclear barge plan beyond the drawing board

US maritime nuclear startup Bluecore Energy has secured low-enriched uranium for its first floating power system as it moves ahead simultaneously with fuel, regulatory and class work.

The Long Beach-based company has purchased uranium hexafluoride, or UF₆, enriched to 4.95% uranium-235 through nuclear fuel intermediary WMC.

The material is being held at an undisclosed US … Menu Americas Bunkering Ports and Logistics Bluecore takes nuclear barge plan beyond the drawing board Adis Ajdin October 13, 2026 0 91 2 minutes read Bluecore Energy Bluecore Energy US maritime nuclear startup Bluecore Energy has secured low-enriched uranium for its first floating power system as it moves ahead simultaneously with fuel, regulatory and class work.

The Long Beach-based company has purchased uranium hexafluoride, or UF₆, enriched to 4.95% uranium-235 through nuclear fuel intermediary WMC.

The material is being held at an undisclosed US nuclear fuel facility outside California while Bluecore works towards fuel fabrication, testing and validation.

UF₆ is used during uranium enrichment and is subsequently converted into uranium dioxide before being fabricated into pellets and assembled into reactor fuel.

The move takes Bluecore another step beyond engineering and non-fuelled prototype work as it develops a compact water-cooled reactor designed from the outset for deployment on a floating platform.

Its first system is being designed around a 10 MWe reactor on a barge, with the company initially targeting electricity supply for ports, data centres and coastal infrastructure.

Longer term, Bluecore also sees the technology moving into ship propulsion.

“Establishing a reliable nuclear fuel supply is a fundamental part of moving any reactor program forward,” said Per Jander, director on WMC’s nuclear fuel team.