Government & Industry Panel — October 19, 2026, 1:30–4:15 PM, MIT Museum Nuclear propulsion is re-entering the commercial maritime conversation, driven by a convergence of decarbonization targets, energy security concerns, and the push to revitalize U.S. shipbuilding. But a reactor at sea is not a single technology decision — it is an ecosystem question spanning the reactor itself, the reactor/ship interface, lifecycle vessel performance, port infrastructure, supply chains, workforce, insurance and liability, and an integrated regulatory framework that does not yet fully exist. This panel brings together senior representatives from MARAD, the Department of Energy, the U.S. Coast Guard, West P&I, and ABS to examine how these pieces fit together and where government and industry should concentrate effort. Discussion will cover realistic timelines for the first nuclear barge and the first nuclear-propelled commercial vessel; current pilot projects; the regulatory path forward, including the recent USCG/NRC memorandum of understanding and the Nuclear Corridor Program; the port and corridor MOUs signed at Charleston, Long Beach, and Corpus Christi; liability and insurability, including whether a "reactor as a service" model can separate nuclear risk from vessel ownership; and how SMR designs shift safety from active management to inherent physics. The session will also address the role of academia and the national labs — whether workforce development is sufficient, or whether the field needs a coordinated national maritime nuclear research plan. The panel is moderated by Prof. Christopher Wiernicki, former Chairman and CEO of ABS, and is sponsored by the MIT Maritime Consortium and the MIT Center for Ocean Engineering.