Get with the program – buy a nuclear boat that doesn't need fuel

Russia is boosting its 40 strong icebreaking fleet with all of the new vessels being nuclear-powered as part of its aim to improve Arctic shipping.

Shipbuilder Rosatomflot is a subsidiary of Russian state nuclear company Rosatom and JSC Baltiysjiy Zavod, part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation. Recently, the company signed a contract for the construction of a unique, multifunctional nuclear service vessel that would operate from 2029. The vessel is designed to perform a full range of work on recharging nuclear icebreakers.

Successful Russian Floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs) have been working since 2018 in Vilyuchinsk in far easter Russia, and last month Russia agreed to supply the first FNPP to Guinea in Africa, with several others under contract with other African countries with power problems. These units will be leased by Russia and replacement of the reactors will also be done by the Russians.

China is building FNPPS for use in offshore mining and they are building another 23 reactors in China as of April 2024.

Ships powering shore grids has happened since 1929, but engineering advances with nuclear reactors has made power transfer much easier now with voltage transformers and the latest technologies.

The latest Micro Modular Reactors (MMRs) are being designed by several countries and focused on 5-10mW. For context, these MMRs can fit on the back of a 40' semi trailer and can power merchant ships up to Panamax size (80,000 tonnes dwt) which are around 9MW. The largest production wind turbines are only around 7MW with a capital cost US$1.2m per megawatt, have a significant footprint and a limited lifespan of 20-30 years. Check for yourself!

The MMRs offer a combination of power for propulsion and shore powering, which for very remote nations is highly attractive. The highest national cost component of remote nations even with some hydro and renewables, is imported diesel, and averages $1bn per annum for a population of 1 million. With MMR manufacturers offering a cost of US$0.35/kWh on a leased base, this is surely the future for low emissions power solutions?.

Again the marine industry is leading the nuclear industry and technological change with MMRs. Not having to carry fuel or do voyage deviations to pick up fuels, as mentioned earlier, are hugely desirable features.

The 100,000 cargo ships of all sizes carry 1,000-3,000 tonnes of fuel depending on size. Over a 30-year life span of a ship carrying this amount of cargo instead of fuel, together with the significant maintenance costs and manning associated with large diesel engines amounts to millions. Add the attraction of zero emissions with MMR's and the nuclear strategy becomes compelling.

Over the last decade shipowners have pursued the holy grail flirting with ammonia, hydrogen, sail assisted, methanol and LNG.Nothing comes close to nuclear !

The existing 162 nuclear vessels in the world have been constrained to military, research and icebreaking duties. They will soon have their numbers boosted with cargo ships and the Chinese are already leading the charge with a nuclear container ship.

A boat that doesn't need refuelling has a lot of appeal, especially if you can plug it into the power grid when alongside.

Hagar the Horrible and his long term Director of Operations, Lucky Eddie, even as 2 dimensional cartoons, would certainly agree!. Real life 3-dimensional people like Australian Minister for Energy Chris Bowen, should get with the program.