News from 2026 August 18: US offshore vessel owner Hornbeck invests in microreactor developer for maritime nuclear power. Find the latest news from the maritime industry on the PortNews website.

Deployable Energy and Hornbeck Offshore partner to advance maritime nuclear power. Aug 17, 2026, 12:13 ET Companies to partner on Unity Nuclear Battery deployments across maritime, defense, offshore power and floating data center applications HOUSTON, Aug. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Deployable Energy announces that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hornbeck Offshore to transform five strategic maritime and offshore markets through the utilization of Deployable Energy's Unity Nuclear Battery. Hornbeck Offshore has also made a strategic investment in Deployable Energy. The collaboration will combine Deployable Energy's transportable microreactor technology with Hornbeck Offshore's vast marine operating fleet expertise to develop maritime nuclear applications in inland waterways, offshore vessels and platforms, national security logistics and autonomous vessels, power barges, and floating data centers. Deployable Energy and Hornbeck Offshore are advancing American energy dominance on the water, positioning U.S. maritime power with next-generation nuclear technology that meets the International Maritime Organization's targets while strengthening American shipbuilding and reinforcing U.S. maritime leadership. The companies will establish a joint working group focused on vessel integration, economics, licensing pathways, financing, and commercial structures with a strong focus on near-term US applications. The program will also enable Deployable Energy's long-term opportunity for multi-gigawatt deployment over a 10-year horizon, with a target of achieving at least a 20% reduction in total cost of ownership versus conventional marine diesel or grid-power alternatives. Deployable Energy's Unity Nuclear Battery is a 1 MWe, mass-manufactured, transportable microreactor engineered vessel integration, rather than have ships built around reactors. It is designed to provide resilient, emissions-free power with refueling intervals greater than five years and to scale from individual units to large multi-unit deployments. "We are proud to partner with one of the leaders in the US maritime sector and one of the largest Jones Act vessel owners to usher in a commercial maritime nuclear industry," said Bobby Gallagher, CEO and Co-Founder of Deployable Energy. "Todd Hornbeck and his founder-led operating experience coupled with his team's proven ability to bring new technologies to market will enable us to move from demonstration to real-world deployment. Together, we're forging a path to lower energy costs, greater endurance and entirely new maritime power applications." "Deployable Energy's speed of execution, culture, and ability to understand requirements in the maritime industry are why we chose them to partner on five priority maritime markets that can utilize compact nuclear power to improve economics, endurance and energy resilience," said Todd M. Hornbeck, Chairman, President and CEO of Hornbeck Offshore. "We are inspired by Bobby's entrepreneurial spirit and his team's innovative approach in the vital fight for energy dominance." The MOU and strategic investment mark a key development for maritime nuclear applications through a phased pathway from feasibility and front-end engineering through detailed design, regulatory approvals, initial deployment, scaled fleet deployment and long-term operations. Any deployment would remain subject to successful technical, commercial and regulatory development and execution of definitive agreements. About Deployable Energy Mass-manufactured nuclear from the energy capital of the world. Deployable Energy mass manufactures microreactors designed for real-world operations, with the simple idea of making nuclear energy a product not a project. Our systems are engineered for rapid deployment, simple operation, and reliable power where traditional infrastructure can't reach. Deployable Energy is the only commercial microreactor developer that has reached criticality and has an Approval In Principle (AIP) with a maritime classification society. About Hornbeck Offshore Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. is a leading provider of technologically advanced, high-specification offshore service vessels to the energy industry primarily in the Gulf of America and Latin America, as well as to U.S. government, offshore wind and other non-oilfield customers. SOURCE Deployable Energy