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December 27, 2024
A couple of weeks ago I took a trip to Baltimore, MD to visit N/S Savannah which was the first nuclear-powered merchant ship and is now looking for a new permanent home.
She was built in the late 1950s and her construction was funded by the US Government which hoped that she could demonstrate to the world the peaceful potential of nuclear energy.
Total cost of construction was $46.9 million which included a $28.3 million nuclear reactor and fuel core.
She entered service in August of 1962 and carried passengers for three years.
She continued as a cargo ship for another six years before being deactivated in 1971.
During the first part of her career she traveled more than 350,000 nautical miles over six years before needing refueling.
Her nuclear reactor was a pressurized water reactor which used low-enriched uranium and generated 75 MW of power.
Heat from the reactor created steam which powered a propulsion plan that delivered 16.4 MW to a single propeller shaft.
The reactor was de-fuelled in 1975 but was not removed until November of 2022 when it was transported to Utah for disposal.
She has been tied up at the Canton Marine Terminal in Baltimore since 2008 and free guided tours are offered one Saturday each month.
She also offers an open house one day each quarter where visitors can explore on their own.
To reserve space for a visit the N/S Savannah Association website (https://www.ns-savannah.com/)
The N/S Savannah Associationis and MARAD - the federal agency that owns the ship - are actively searching for a permanent home for this historic vessel whose future is uncertain.
Finding a new location is crucial for her preservation and potential redevelopment.
