Report on the proceedings of a symposium on nuclear ships
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Date
1971-10-18
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Australian Atomic Energy Commission
Abstract
To some extent the Hamburg Symposium on Nuclear Ship? was disappointing in that no major technical advances were reported and no new projects or plans for the application of nuclear propulsion to commercial shipping were announced. In
fact, a number of papers tended to be a rehash of ideas which have been current for the past ten years, without throwing any new light on the problems. This was particularly notable in the regulatory area. Since the formulation in 1962 of the
Brussels Convention on the Liability of Operators of Nuclear Ships, there has been very little real progress towards the acceptance of unrestricted operation by commercial nuclear powered vessels.
However, technical development has been proceeding steadily and an advance towards commercial exploitation has become evident. Some important trends, such as an, increasing interest amongst shipowners, were also "apparent at the Symposium.
In terms of actual industrial activity West Germany is now the leader in this field and dominated the proceedings. The research vessel "Otto Hahn" has been in service since 1968 and has carried commercial cargoes. This ship is operated
by the Gesellschaft' fur -Kernenergieverwertung in Shiffbau und Schiffahrt mbH (GKSS) which is a government controlled corporation through which industry collaborates in government backed design, research and development work.
Japan and Italy are also active and the first Japanese nuclear powered ship, the "Mutsu", is being fitted out at present for commissioning in 1973. The USA confined its contributions to the Symposium mainly to reporting experience
with the NS "Savannah", which is now laid up. Only one paper (presented by Vickers Shipbuilding) originated from the UK. However, the US and UK Governments, though not currently optimistic about the commercial prospects for nuclear propulsion, have the technical and industrial backing to enter this
field at short notice if the business becomes attractive.
Economically the position is fairly clear although strongly dependent upon the cost of bunkering oil fuel for conventional shipping. Oil costs are very high at present and, assuming the continuation of this situation, it appears that large nuclear powered container ships of 120,000 shp and 30 knot service speed would be competitive in operation between Australia and Europe and probably also on shorter runs (e.g., the Pacific trade). Once established, it should then be possible for nuclear propulsion to be applied economically to other types of shipping and to smaller power units. A return to the low prices for fuel oil which prevailed
in 1969 would probably make nuclear propulsion totally uneconomic however. In any case, significant governmental support would be an essential investment in t .... rly stages.
Generally there can be no doubt concerning the ability of nuclear marine propulsion to provide a reliable service with the characteristic of sustained high power which could not be obtained in any other way but questions of legal
liability, indemnification and international acceptance remain to be resolved. In some related respects the technical status of nuclear propulsion is not entirely satisfactory. A number of safety problems have not yet been convincingly solved and these matters will require careful evaluation by regulatory authorities. There could well be a need for the feedback of views to the designers. This will become an urgent problem if commercial exploitation proceeds at the rate which some
authorities predict, and pressure is already growing for a reduction of restrictions upon the operation of nuclear ships.
Description
Keywords
Economics, Legal aspects, Meetings, Nuclear ships, Propulsion, Reactors, Reactor safety, Safety, Power reactors
Citation
Higson, D. J. (1971). Report on the proceedings of a symposium on nuclear ships. (AAEC(SP)/R5). Coogee, NSW : Australian Atomic Energy Commission.