Zodiac Maritime looks into nuclear-powered bulker and container ships
London-based ship operator Zodiac Maritime plans to develop concepts for nuclear-powered commercial ships, including bulk carriers and container ships.
PHOTO: Concept model of a nuclear-powered container ship. ABS
Zodiac Maritime has partnered with classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) and a South Korean consortium made up of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and power plant designer KEPCO Engineering & Construction (KEPCO E&C) for the project.
The group will study risks related to marine nuclear propulsion and assess the feasibility of using existing land-based nuclear technology on ships. Their specific roles will be as follows:
- Zodiac Maritime will analyse vessel specifications and prepare a voyage plan for vessel trials
- HD KSOE and KEPCO E&C will design vessels and test nuclear reactors to propel them
- LR will evaluate safety and regulatory compliance
“A Nuclear propulsion ship emits no carbon, and its paramount goal is to be designed with a life cycle cost (LCA) of less than half that of carbon neutral ships,” Sang-Min Park, HD KSOE’s vice president and Beom-Seo Park, KEPCO E&C’s vice president said in a joint statement.
There is a “huge opportunity for nuclear technology to support the maritime energy transition and provide long-term low- or zero-carbon fuel supply security,” Sung-Gu Park, president-Northeast Asia at LR noted.
KSOE and KEPCO E&C are also working to develop a floating offshore nuclear power barge. The barge will be equipped with a small modular reactor (SMR) to supply offshore nuclear-powered electricity to remote communities and to electrify islands. Its concept design got a green light from classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) in October.
Rising maritime interest in nuclear energy
Some shipping companies are opening up to the notion of using nuclear energy - either to produce fuel for vessels or to power them directly - as the stigma surrounding this source of power is slowly dissipating.
However, safety concerns continue to stymie nuclear power's commercial application. For this reason, companies place a high priority on ensuring their technology is safe for commercial use.
A London-based nuclear tech firm called Newcleo, Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and classification society RINA are exploring the viability of using lead-cooled fast reactors for marine propulsion.
Newcleo's nuclear reactor will be powered by nuclear waste. It has explained that if an accident happens, liquid lead in the reactor will solidify when it comes into contact with cold water. As lead is a shielding material, the reactor core would be enclosed in a solid casing and contain the radiation.
The Danish startup Seaborg Technologies has been exploring maritime applications of small molten salt reactors. These reactors use high-temperature liquid salts as fuel instead of conventional solid fuels.
“Our technology cannot be weaponised; it cannot melt down or explode,” Per Michael Jensen, head of external affairs and communication at Seaborg Technologies told ENGINE last year. If the radioactive fuel salt is ever exposed to the atmosphere, it will simply cool down and become solid rock, locking all the radioactive material within, he added.
However, despite the fading stigma, industry experts have underlined an urgent need for targeted regulations to integrate nuclear energy into commercial shipping.
By Konica Bhatt
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