Netherlands-based nuclear energy development and consultancy company ULC-Energy has undertaken a study that investigated the potential to use civil nuclear technologies to power commercial maritime vessels. The study was commissioned by mining company and shipping charterer BHP, a major producer of commodities including iron ore, copper, nickel, and metallurgical coal. BHP has approximately 80,000 employees and contractors, primarily in Australia and the Americas.
The study compared key characteristics of various civil reactor designs against the requirements for potential use in commercial maritime shipping. It evaluated a range of regulatory, operational, and commercial challenges such as port access, licensing and vessel classification, capital costs, and crew training & certification.
ULC-Energy says decarbonising the shipping industry is a formidable challenge in the pursuit of more sustainable transportation. Some of the methods employed to date have focused on energy efficiency by using larger ships, improved hull designs, and streamlined operations. In addition, parts of the maritime industry have explored the adoption of alternative fuels such as LNG, methanol, and ammonia. Nuclear energy emerges as a promising alternative to be considered in the mix. It offers the potential for longer range, faster transits, and the reduction of refuelling requirements, while maintaining near-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
On the other hand, the use of nuclear energy would require material changes, including overcoming technical challenges, updating regulatory frameworks to ensure compliance with international regulations, and restructuring operations. ULC-Energy CEO Dirk Rabelink says civil nuclear solutions could be a reliable and cost-effective alternative to other marine fuel options. “However, it’s not straightforward nor easy – and it will require a range of stakeholders to cooperate to make civil nuclear marine solutions possible.”
BHP Vice President of Maritime & Supply Chain Excellence Rashpal Bhatti welcomed the opportunity to support the study by ULC-Energy. “BHP values the importance of partnerships in identifying a range of pathways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime sector,” he said.
This comes in the wake of a growing number of projects for nuclear power ships proposed in the past year. HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE), a subsidiary of South Korea's HD Hyundai, is collaborating in a nuclear shipping project with UK start-up Core Power and US Southern Company and TerraPower. HD KSOE had previously signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with UK-based Lloyd’s Register international shipping company Zodiac Maritime, and South Korea’s Kepco E&C to develop a project for the research and development of nuclear-propelled ship designs, including bulk carriers and container ships. Also, South Korean industry led by Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) and Janggeum Merchant Marine (Sinokor).
UK nuclear start-up newcleo, ship building major Fincantieri and certification body RINA have launched a joint feasibility study to explore the use of closed mini reactors for use on large marine vessels working together on feasibility study for nuclear naval propulsion. In addition, American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) commissioned US-based Herbert Engineering Corp (HEC) to investigate the potential of advanced modern reactor technology for commercial marine propulsion.
Russia has a long history of using nuclear power icebreakers, the first of which, The Lenin was, commissioned in 1957.This was followed by six Arktika class (Project 10520 and 10521) icebreakers commissioned from 1977 to 2007. Two Taymyr class vessels (Project 10580) were commissioned from 1987 to 1989. The current class of icebreakers (Project 22220) will replace the previous Arktika and Taymyr-classes. So far three vessels have been completed and an additional four are planned. In parallel, construction is underway of a new class of vessel (Project 10510), the first of which is due for commissioning in 2027>. In addition, the Sevmorput, a nuclear-powered cargo ship was commissioned in 1988 and is still operating.
The past few years have also seen a flood of designs for floating NPPs using small modular reactors. To date, the only operational purpose-built floating NPP is Rosatom’s 70 MWe/58 MWt Akademik Lomonosov moored at Pevek in Chukotka in the Russian Arctic Russia’s Far East, which began supplying heat and power to the region in May 2020. Rosatom is in the process of building several more for Artic industrial sites. These use the reactors originally developed for icebreakers.
