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Friday, November 19, 2010 Nuclear-powered shipping to make comeback? Preparations are under way for nuclear reactors to make a major comeback in commercial shipping. Although shipping is already highly energy efficient, pressure has come on the industry to lower emissions. There is the potential for market-based measures for controlling carbon dioxide emissions, while the entry into force of strict International Maritime Organization controls in 2020 provides a firm deadline against which the industry can weigh the benefits of a range of technology enhancements and fuel options. Marine and energy consultants BMT Group and Enterprises Shipping and Trading have joined with start-up small reactor firm Hyperion and Lloyd's Register to "investigate the practical maritime applications for small modular reactors." "We will see nuclear ships on specific trade routes sooner than many people currently anticipate," said Lloyd's Register CEO Richard Sadler. The organization has been an independent service provider to the shipping industry for 250 years. In response to its members' interest in nuclear propulsion Lloyd's Register has recently rewritten its 'rules' for nuclear ships, which concern the integration of a reactor certified by a land-based regulator with the rest of the ship. A draft of the rules was put before Lloyd's technical committee two weeks ago and this represents a further step towards an international regulatory regime to ensure worldwide safety in a potential nuclear shipping sector. Nuclear power looked set for a maritime role in the 1960s thanks to early vessels like the Savannah and Otto Hahn, although in the end the Savannah worked for only ten years and the Otto Hahn was repowered with diesel engines after nine years. The Japanese-built Mutsu operated from 1970 until 1992 but none of these ships was a commercial success. A notable exception has been the icebreaker fleet that works Russia's trade routes in the Arctic Ocean. These vessels number only seven, but one is a cargo vessel and small reactors of the same type are currently being fitted to the Akademik Lomonosov, the world's first floating nuclear power plant, set for deployment in Russia's far east. However, incorporation of any reactor in a ship would require extensive radiation shielding, consideration of impact protection. A change in crew training would be required and there is a strong case for crew to be supplied by reactor vendors. Similar to nuclear power on land, the additional capital cost of nuclear compared to fossil fuels is a significant obstacle despite the fact that savings on fuel and potential emissions charges would make nuclear economic in the long run. -World Nuclear News For the full story: www.world-nuclear-news.org More Newswire stories Could LNG become dominant fuel source for ships? Port of Long Beach moves ahead with zero-emission Vision Four tips before implementing new transportation management software Windows at 25: Still on top…for now	Click to browse past stories on these topics: Logistics Ports & Infrastructure Economic Outlook Environmental Impact Technology
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Nuclear-powered shipping to make comeback?