Bluecore Advances Floating Nuclear Power

Bluecore Energy, based in Long Beach, Calif., is developing a system to deliver clean energy to the maritime industry. In a world where the need for reliable power sources are a necessity to support growing ports and infrastructure, Bluecore aims to bring nuclear energy quickly and efficiently to company doors. Its strategy: small nuclear reactors situated atop floating barges.

Bluecore Energy is made up of a team across a variety of disciplines, including engineers and operators across aerospace, defense, automotive and maritime programs. Employees have worked with companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, Toyota and Uber as well as nuclear U.S. military programs. Founded by Kofi Asante, Bluecore Energy is focused on delivering reliable, clean energy to the communities that need it most. The company is harnessing lessons and principles learned through the maritime industry’s applications of nuclear energy to develop modern technology that is dependable and accessible.

“Our mission is simple: democratize access to clean energy,” said Asante. “Billions of people live near water, yet access to reliable power is still too often constrained by geography and existing infrastructure. We want to build a future where clean energy can go where it is needed.”

In additional comments provided to The Waterways Journal, Bluecore Energy said development work began after the company secured capital funding in January and February 2026, and the company established its headquarters in Long Beach in May. According to the press release published by the company on July 21, it is the first small modular reactor company to establish its headquarters inside a major U.S. port.

“There is no better place to launch the next generation of zero-emission maritime energy than the world’s first Green Port,” said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson. “Long Beach has always been where global trade meets innovation, and today we’re becoming the place where the technologies that will power the future of the maritime economy are developed. Bluecore Energy’s decision to build here reflects the momentum we’re creating by bringing together clean technology, advanced manufacturing, and world-class talent to grow the industries that will define the next generation.”

In June, Bluecore acquired a 185-foot tank barge from Pacific Maritime Group in San Diego and had it transported to Long Beach. According to the company, the dimensions and existing configuration of a tank barge are well suited to accommodate the SMR components following customization and refurbishment.

“My team and I took nuclear reactor technology that’s been running power plants safely for seventy years, made it smaller, and put it on a barge. A power plant that floats,” said Asante.

The company is currently testing a non-nuclear prototype designed to replicate the system’s anticipated environmental conditions, operating responses and controls. Its water-based loop system is designed to produce the heat needed to operate turbines. Blue-core said the eventual nuclear installation is being developed to meet requirements imposed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), the Coast Guard and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The barge-based configuration would allow generating capacity to be positioned near a port, marine terminal or coastal city, with power transmitted ashore by cable. It would also give the system a degree of mobility unavailable to a conventional land-based power plant. Towing vessels could move the barge between locations as power requirements change, making barge transportation, harbor towing and positioning integral to deployment of the system.

According to Bluecore, the initial 10MWe system is designed to meet the needs of a major U.S. port, the equivalent energy supply of 15,000 homes, and is designed to be operational for years after only one fueling. The company said as development progresses, the floating power plants will be able to become a new power source for data centers, offshore infrastructures, and energy-deficient communities.

Featured photo caption: Bluecore Energy, headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., announced on July 21 the launch of its floating barge system to bring nuclear energy to ports and marine infrastructure. (Photo courtesy of Bluecore Energy)