Lloyd’s Register’s recently announced a research program into nuclear propulsion of ships. After the 1960’s Savannah and Otto Hahn there were only two more commercial ships produced with nuclear propulsion: there were also nuclear ice breakers built by the Soviet Union. Opposition to nuclear power in the light of the problem of greenhouse gases is changing opinions. Nuclear propulsion technology has continued to develop but the high initial cost has to be paid up front. Radioactive waste is an unresolved problem, yet there are few problems man is unable to solve when the necessity is strong. The greatest nuclear benefit is in zero exhaust emissions.
Late last year Lloyd’s Register announced a research program revisiting the technical challenges of nuclear propulsion for tankers, bulk carriers, container ships and cruise ships, as well as refueling and waste-disposal issues.
After the experiments in the 1960’s of the Savannah and Otto Hahn there were only two more commercial ships produced with nuclear propulsion. There were also some very capable nuclear ice breakers built by the Soviet Union some of which are now carrying paying passengers on specialized cruises, for example the 50 years of Victory being one of the few ships able to punch its way through the ice to the North Pole.
Major accidents such as Three Mile Island and Chernobyl encouraged strong opposition in the past to nuclear power production for power stations but in the light of the problem of greenhouse gases opinions are changing.
Meanwhile nuclear propulsion technology has continued to develop and be used successfully in large warships and submarines of several nations.
One of the factors that makes nuclear propulsion less attractive for commercial applications is the high initial cost where the “fuel bill” for the next 5-20 years has to be paid up front. This is a financing dilemma but there are many models available whereby long term costs can be spread over many years and it provides a constant cost, rather than a variable one, which most businesses prefer. If the price of oil drops then the cost calculation is upset – but can we really expect the oil price to drop in the decades ahead?
Yes, there is the, as yet, unresolved problem of radioactive waste, yet there are few problems man is unable to solve when the necessity is strong. How often today, with modern techniques and materials, are we able to solve problems that were unsolvable in the past?
The greatest nuclear benefit is in zero exhaust emissions, not only underway but in harbor suggesting that cruise ships would be ideal candidates. There is however the prejudice hurdle with history repeating itself. "Never before in history, society was confronted with a power that is so full of possible danger and at the same time so full of promises for the future of humankind and for peace in our world ….." The statement was made in the Congress of the United States in 1875 and they are not talking about nuclear power, but the internal combustion engine!