Nuclear propulsion offers the lowest operational cost for bulk shipping carriers which could use reactors to sail “longer, faster, and cheaper”, all without producing greenhouse gas emissions, a report by Netherlands-based nuclear development and consulting company ULC-Energy has concluded.
The report says that nuclear propulsion offers the lowest operational cost per tonne shipped for a Newcastlemax bulk carrier, a class of vessel with a maximum beam 50 metres and maximum length overall of 300 metres. This is significantly lower than alternatives like ammonia fuel, which is under development, or a type of marine fuel known as very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO).
The study compares a nuclear-powered Newcastlemax bulk carrier with one powered by conventional VLSFO and one powered by green ammonia.
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