NUCLEAR MERCHANT SHIP PROPULSION

The operation of about 300 nuclear naval vessels has proven the feasibility of nuclear ship propulsion. Until now six non-military ships have been built or are under construction. In the Soviet Union two nuclear icebreakers are in operation, and a third one is under construction. In the western world three prototype merchant ships have been built. Of these ships only the NS OTTO HAHN is in operation and provides valuable experience for future large scale use of nuclear merchant ship propulsion. In many countries studies and plans are made for future nuclear merchant ships. Types of vessels investigated are large containerships, tankers and specialized ships like icebreakers or ice-breaking ships. The future of nuclear merchant ship propulsion depends on three interrelated items: (1) nuclear ship technology; (2) economy of nuclear ship propulsion; (3) legal questions. Nuclear merchant ship technology is based until now on standard ship technology and light water reactor technology. Except for special questions due to the nonstationary type of the plant entirely new problems do not arise. This has been proven by the recent conceptual licensing procedure for a large nuclear container ship in Germany. The economics of nuclear propulsion will be under discussion until they are proven by the operation of privately owned lead ships. Unsolved legal questions e.g. in connection with port entry permissions are at present another problem for nuclear shipping. Efforts are made to solve these questions on an international basis. The future development of nuclear energy electricity production in large land based plants will stimulate the employment of smaller units. Any future development of long distance sea transport will have to take this opportunity of a reliable and economic energy supply into account. (Atomindex citation 08:303670)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Available in microfiche only. International conference on nuclear power and its fuel cycles, Salzburg, Austria, 2 May 1977, 8.0.-.T.1./12. U.S. Sales Only.
• Corporate Authors:

  International Atomic Energy Agency

  Vienna International Centre, P.O. Box 100
  Vienna A-1400,   Austria 
• Authors:
  • Schroeder, E
  • Jager, W
  • Schafstall, H G
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Pagination: 6 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cargo ships; Containerships; Economic analysis; Economics; Icebreakers; Nuclear power; Nuclear powered icebreakers; Nuclear powered ships; Nuclear reactor components; Nuclear reactors; Operations; Planning; Propulsion; Safety; Supply; Tankers; Time dependence
• Uncontrolled Terms: Availability
• Old TRIS Terms: Ns otto hahn; Nuclear reactor economics; Nuclear reactor operation; Nuclear reactor safety; Otto hahn reactor; Reactor components; Reactor operation; Reactor safety; Ship propulsion reactors
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00168639
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: CONF-770505-175
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 27 1978 12:00AM