ECONOMIC INVESTIGATION OF NUCLEAR POWERED TANKERS

The primary objectives of this investigation were to establish the economics of a tanker powered by an AMF closed cycle boiling water reactor, compare the transportation costs of the nuclear tanker to the conventional design, and determine the important parameters affecting this economic analysis. This analysis was based upon the cost data developed for the reference design which was a 38,000 DWT tanker powered by a 22,000 SHP propulsion plant of either conventional or nuclear design. The analysis shows that all variations in the cost parameters within practical reason result in the nuclear transportation costs being consistently higher than the conventional and that this condition is brought about by the high cost of the nuclear equipment. Suggestions for reducing these costs include design improvement, government subsidy, and standardization of nuclear components.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document is available for review at the Department of Commerce Library, Main Commerce Building, Washington, D.C., under reference number AMF-GR-22-57.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Machine and Foundry Company

  American Machine and Foundry Atomics
  New York, NY  United States 
• Authors:
  • Shackelford, M H
  • Rudolph, H
  • Morrell, R C
  • White, L T
• Publication Date: 1957-9-25

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 58 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Economic analysis; Nuclear power; Nuclear powered ships; Ships; Tanker shipping; Vehicle design
• Uncontrolled Terms: Ship design
• Old TRIS Terms: Tanker economics
• Subject Areas: Design; Economics; Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00026021
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Maritime Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: AMF-GR-22-57
• Contract Numbers: MA-1263
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 6 1974 12:00AM